Multi-scale imaging and modeling of the brain

This talk will give an overview of Dale's famous scientific work, which lies in the intersection of imaging, signal processing, statistical analysis, and medicine. Dale's research is motivated by fundamental clinical questions and has resulted in superior mathematical algorithms that have impacted, e.g., GE's leading imaging equipment and our understanding of Alzheimer's disease. The aim of his visit is to establish a closer collaboration between biomedical modeling groups in Oslo and Professor Dale's laboratory at UCSD. This collaboration includes exchange of master's students, Ph.D. students, postdocs, and senior researchers.

About the speaker

Dr. Dale is founding Co-Director of the Multimodal Imaging Laboratory, an interdisciplinary initiative of the Departments of Neurosciences and Radiology. He is highly skilled in the development and utilization of multimodality imaging technologies.

Within both departments, Dr. Dale is the designated point person for integrating the various modes and methods of collecting imaging data, including functional MRI (fMRI), magnetoencephalography (MEG), electroencephalography (EEG), and optical imaging. His efforts are directed in three areas: continuing development and refinement of accurate and automated algorithms for evaluation subjects using multimodality approaches to data collection; statistical analysis of data; and conducting studies in animal models using optical imaging, high field fMRI, and electrophysiological recordings to enhance the interpretation of neuroimaging studies.

Correct modeling of EEG/MEG and optical signals requires an accurate segmentation of the tissues within the head. A major component of Dr. Dale's laboratory effort has been on developing accurate and automated algorithms for head segmentation. This work began while he was a graduate student at UCSD and continued with Dr. Bruce Fischl and Dr. Eric Halgren at Harvard Medical School. Efforts to date have resulted in the development of software tools that enable the automated segmentation of the entire head and brain, including the neocortex and subcortical structures, from MRI data. As Dr. Dale notes, "The task of automated structure segmentation of human brain anatomy has been a Holy Grail for years."

Investigators at the Multimodal Imaging Lab are currently involved in several clinical research studies, applying these methods to assessment of regional morphometric changes associated with normal and abnormal development, aging, and brain-related diseases such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, and Huntington's disease.

 (For Further information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anders_Dale_(Neuroscientist))