CMU NeuroEngineering Virtual Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Li Min Chen, MD, PhD, Professor of Radiology, Vanderbilt University
Abstract: Focused ultrasound (FUS) is emerging as a powerful, noninvasive neuromodulation technique with significant potential for treating neurological and psychiatric disorders. Its unique ability to precisely focus energy through the skull and into deep brain structures offers an unmatched advantage over other noninvasive approaches. When combined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), FUS can be guided in real time using MR acoustic radiation force imaging (MR-ARFI), while functional MRI (fMRI) enables visualization of target engagement and network-level neuromodulatory effects. This talk will highlight collaborative work at the Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science (VUIIS) developing MRI-guided FUS systems for single-and multi-site targeting. These systems demonstrate robust neuromodulation in deep brain regions and associated pain networks, supported by fMRI and intracranial electrophysiology. Ongoing studies also assess the safety of repeated FUS exposure using advanced parametric MRI metrics. Finally, I will discuss efforts to translate these advances into clinical practice through the development of spiral MR-ARFI techniques and a human MR-guided FUS (MRgFUS) system. By harnessing the full neuromodulatory potential of ultrasound, we aim to establish it as a transformative, noninvasive tool for modulating brain function and enabling new therapeutic interventions.
About the Speaker: Li Min Chen, MD, PhD, is a neuroscientist by training who completed a prestigious Brown-Coxe Postdoctoral Fellowship at Yale University School of Medicine before joining the faculty at Vanderbilt in 2003, where she is now a tenured professor. Dr. Chen is an expert in functional and multiparametric MRI, and she has extensively studied pain and sensorimotor functions in preclinical models. Her research primarily focuses on uncovering the neural mechanisms underlying pain and touch, exploring the role of neural plasticity in functional and behavioral recovery following spinal cord injury (SCI), and developing innovative therapies aimed at pain relief and enhancing recovery in individuals affected by SCI. Dr. Chen’s lab adopts a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating advanced methods such as MRI, in vivo electrophysiology, tract tracing histology, and cutting-edge neuromodulation techniques, including electrical, optogenetic, and transcranial-focused ultrasound approaches, to investigate brain function and dissect brain circuits. For the past eight years, Dr. Chen has collaborated with Dr. Charles Caskey on the development of an MR-guided focused ultrasound neuromodulation system for chronic pain relief. Dr. Chen is actively involved in several professional organizations, including the Society for Neuroscience, the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, the International Association for the Study of Pain, and the Organization for Human Brain Mapping