Sources of fMRI signal fluctuations

Primary Investigators:
Catie Chang
 
Brief Description of Project:
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a widely used technology for studying human brain activity in health and disease. Yet, fMRI provides an indirect measure of neural activity, and fMRI signals also reflect blood-flow changes associated with physiological processes such as breathing and cardiac activity. This project uses signal processing methods to characterize specific neural and physiological contributions to fMRI data, and to relate these variables to cognitive and clinical measures.

Desired Qualifications:
Programming experience (preferably Matlab or Python), and a strong interest in brain imaging data.
 
Nature of Supervision:
The student will work closely with the PI, with assistance from graduate students and postdocs in the lab.
 
A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):
The first couple of weeks will involve becoming familiar with fMRI and learning relevant data analysis techniques. The remainder of the program will focus on analyzing neuroimaging and physiological signals, and preparing a final report and poster.
 
Number of Open Slots: 2
 
Contact Information:
Name: Catie Chang
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Email: catie.chang@vanderbilt.edu