MRI of Brain Physiology

Audrey Fan develops new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography methods to measure brain physiology and function. Dr. Fan is a Junior Fellow of the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and currently co-leads the Imaging Core for the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at UC Davis Health. Her overall goal is to bridge engineers in her lab with clinicians and scientists to advance neuroimaging technology and promote brain vascular health across the entire lifespan.Dr. Ahmed Khalil is a clinician-scientist in the Institute of Neuroradiology at the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. His research focuses on developing and clinically validating novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to assess brain hemodynamics, tissue oxygenation, and blood-brain barrier function. With a particular interest in the pathophysiology of stroke and cerebrovascular diseases, Dr. Khalil’s work bridges the gap between technical MRI methods and their clinical application to improve patient diagnosis and clinical decision-making. Beyond his primary research, he is an advocate for reproducible science, medical education, and science communication, and is an avid science writer and blogger. He holds postgraduate degrees in internal medicine and neuroscience from institutions across the UK, France, and Germany.

• 1. Overview of brain physiology and systems - anatomy (as related to neuroimaging)2. Overview of brain physiology and systems - function3. Microvascular brain physiology and perfusion imaging4. Macrovascular brain physiology and hemodynamic timing5. Cerebrovascular reserve and autoregulation6. Neurovascular coupling and tissue metabolism7. Cerebrospinal fluid pathways and flow imaging8. Glymphatics and Blood Brain Barrier physiology9. Functional/physiological coordination of hemodynamic systems10. Functional impact on tissue microstructure and integrity