Laboratories and Centers

Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research

Professor Dan Sodickson’s research primarily addressed the development of new techniques for biomedical imaging to improve human health. He leads a multidisciplinary team that develops new methods for rapid continuous imaging, taking advantage of recent developments in parallel imaging, compressed sensing, and artificial intelligence. This work extends to clinical applications of MRI, PET and CT.

Clinical Artificial Intelligence Lab

Professor Farah Shamout leads the Clinical Artificial Intelligence (CAI) lab, where her team is developing machine learning models to support decision-making in healthcare. This includes AI approaches for the interpretation of large-scale multi-modal data, the prediction of in-hospital deterioration of CVOID-19 patients, and the assessment of breast cancer risk in women. In addition, she explores the fairness and ethics of AI.

Clinical Biophotonics Laboratory

Professor Andreas Hielscher’s team focuses on developing clinically relevant optical tomographic imaging systems. They apply these devices and wearable electronics to the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases, such as breast cancer, arthritis, peripheral artery disease, diabetic foot syndrome, and real-time monitoring of brain activities.

Gerig Lab

Using advances in computer vision and machine learning, Professor Guido Gerig’s team develops image analysis methodologies related to segmentation, registration, atlas building, shape analysis, and image statistics. Collaboratively with clinical research, this work is driven by medical problems covering research in autism, Down's syndrome, eye diseases, Huntington's disease, and musculoskeletal disorders.

Lattanzi MRI Laboratory

Professor Lattanzi’s research lies at the boundaries between physics, engineering, and medicine. His group develops new techniques to improve the diagnostic power of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The main applications are in the areas of cartilage damage and hip osteoarthritis.

MRI Biophysics Group

Professor Els Fieremans works on validation methods for diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including hardware, numerical phantoms, and animal models. Her group seeks to develop and translate new imaging markers for neurodegeneration (e.g. Alzheimer’s), as well as body diffusion applications in muscles and prostate cancer.

Neuroimaging and Visual Science Laboratory

Kevin Chan and his group are developing and applying new methods for noninvasive imaging of neurodegeneration, neurodevelopment, neuroplasticity, and neuroregeneration in people with vision-related diseases and injuries. They study the structural, metabolic, physiological, and functional relationships between the eyes, brain, and behavior with the mission to improve vision.

Neurophotonics Laboratory

Professor Srinivasan’s group at the Tech4Health Institute develops novel light-based technologies to image the structure and function of the eye and brain. The techniques include near-infrared spectroscopy, optical coherence tomography, and optical coherence microscopy. In close collaboration with clinicians, they improve the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma and neurodegenerative diseases.

NYU Video Lab

Research activities in Professor Yao Wang’s group deal with encoding and distributing videos among a large number of users. Of special interest are diverse network access links and applications to biomedical imaging. The lab collaborates extensively with other research groups in wireless communication and networking at the School of Engineering and NYU’s medical school and hospitals.

Selesnick Lab

In the laboratory of Professor Ivan Selesnick, PhD, researchers are interested in digital signal processing, sparsity in signal processing, and multi-dimensional wavelet-based signal/image/video processing. They develop new methods for signal filtering, separation, and deconvolution, especially in the area of biomedical imaging.

Single Molecule Biophotonics Laboratory

Prof Eli Rothenberg’s team specializes in development of cutting-edge single-molecule fluorescence imaging techniques. They apply these techniques to studying molecular mechanisms relevant to diverse human diseases, including cancer. Adding novel computational methods and assays they aim to discover biomarker, therapeutic targets, and understand drug mechanisms-of-action.

Smilow Comprehensive Prostate Cancer Center (SCPCC)

The work that Professor Samir Taneja and his colleagues are conducting at NYU Langone’s SCPCC and Perlmutter Cancer Center has transformed the field of prostate cancer diagnosis and therapy. Their clinical research focuses on the use of MRI to improve methods of prostate imaging, cancer detection, disease localization, and treatment.

Craniomaxillofacial Orthopedic Biomaterials Regenerative Applications Lab

Professor Lukasz Witek’s research group performs in vivo and in vitro evaluations of a wide range of (bio)materials that can be used as implants for dental and orthopedic applications. A special focus is on 3D printing of bio-ceramic materials for tissue regeneration.

Kirsch Lab

The ultimate goal of Professor Kirsch’s research is to define novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of osteoarthritis and other joint diseases and injuries. To this end the laboratory studies mechanisms involved in the regulation of cartilage homeostasis, maintenance and pathology. In addition, research is performed on how cells and the joint environment interact.

Laboratory for Biomechanics, Mechanobiology & Regenerative Medicine

Professor Alesha Castillo and her team study the interactions between mechanobiological cues and musculoskeletal systems with the long-term goal of developing novel biophysical, pharmaceutical, and stem cell-based interventions to improve musculoskeletal health

NanoBioEngineering for Tissue Regeneration Laboratory

Professor de Lázaro is interested in understanding how genetic, biochemical, and mechanical signals impact cell plasticity, identity, and function. The lab’s mission is to apply this knowledge in combination with nanomedicine and bioengineering strategies to develop therapeutic interventions. A major focus lies on immunotherapies and tissue regeneration/rejuvenation for heart diseases.

Shukti Chakravarti Lab

Professor Chakravarti’s research group tries to understand how the extracellular matrix (ECM) regulates cellular functions and tissue homeostasis. In their work they use cell cultures and mouse models to gain a better understanding of the role of neutrophil, macrophage and dendritic cell functions in bacterial and viral infections. In addition, they explore the ECM changes and the underlying genetic causes in corneal diseases.

Tissue Maintenance and Regeneration Laboratory

Tissue maintenance and regeneration are crucial for preserving tissue functionality and organismal health. With age and disease, both of these processes can become inefficient. Professor Wosczyna’s laboratory seeks to identify cellular mechanisms that are responsible for pathological phenotypes. They look for molecular targets that can be modified to extend tissue functionality further into age.

Boeke Lab

The laboratory of Professor Jef Boeke is well known for foundational work on mechanistic and genomic aspects of retro-transposition in both yeast and mammalian systems. After more than three decades, they continue to scrutinize their favorite genomic parasites. In addition, the Boeke lab is heavily involved in the development of novel technologies in genetics, genomics and synthetic biology.

Cell Programming and Genome Engineering Lab

David Truong’s lab uses principles from synthetic and systems biology, cell fate reprogramming, epigenetics, and immunology. He and his team perform large-scale genome engineering in human and mouse stem cells towards cell therapies and regenerative medicine. The group currently focuses on developing programmable off-the-shelf dendritic cells from human iPSCs as a cancer immunotherapy platform. They are also building universal “personalized” iPSCs as an off-the-shelf cell for making living therapies.

Dynamical Systems Laboratory (DSL)

Professor Maurizio Porfiri’s group conducts multidisciplinary research in the theory and application of dynamical systems, motivated by the objectives of advancing engineering science and improving society. They perform research and development in the areas of robotics and mechatronics, experimental fluid mechanics, material characterization, animal behavior, and vibrations.

Laboratory of Computational Multiomics

Professor Ruggles’ laboratory focuses on understanding human health and biology using data science, data visualization, and predictive modeling. A primary goal of this research is to analyze and integrate diverse data modalities, including bulk and single-cell sequencing, phospho- and global- proteomics, metagenomics, flow cytometry, imaging, and clinical data. These multi-omic methods are used to better understand cancer, heart diseases, and other disorders.

Laboratory of Computational Proteomics

Prof. David Fenyö’s uses proteomic approaches to develop methods to identify, characterize, and quantify proteins important for various cellular processes. His efforts to integrate data from multiple technologies - including mass spectrometry, sequencing, and microscopy - have provided a wide array of powerful tools to discover and verify biomarkers and therapeutic targets in cancer.

Quantitative Synthetic Biology Lab

Professor Andras Gyorgy’s research focuses on networked dynamical systems. In particular, he is interested in rational forward-engineering of synthetic biology systems; characterization of circuit-circuit and host-circuit interactions both in vivo and in vitro; and the design and analysis of multi-scale systems prevalent in biology.

Rational Microbiome Engineering Lab

Professor Jonas Schluter’s goal is to turn the human microbiome into a therapeutic target for completely novel medical therapies. To this end, his team is using machine learning, AI, and Bayesian inference to analyze massive clinical data sets and electronic health records. They also perform lab experiments and clinical studies to understand how the microbial ecosystem works and can be changed.

Medical Robotics and Interactive Intelligent Technologies Lab (MERIIT)

The mission of the Professor Atashzar’s lab is to develop human-machine interface technologies, intelligent robotic systems and smart wearables to augment human capabilities beyond natural competence. A particular focus is interactive neuro-rehabilitation robotic and surgical robotic systems.

Physical Therapy and Exercise Lab

Professor Smita Rao and her colleagues in the Center of Health and Rehabilitation Research study the effects of exercise in individuals with diabetes, neuropathy, osteoarthritis, and other musculoskeletal conditions. Her research focuses on improving physical therapy and rehabilitation care in these patients.

Rusk Rehabilitation

Advances in miniaturized sensors and actuators, as well as artificial intelligence (AI), have broadened horizons for assistive and rehabilitative technologies. The team of Professor JohnRoss Rizzo, MD, is leveraging these innovations to help patients with conditions such as blindness and stroke, enhancing their ability to interact physically with their environment.

Advanced Microfluidics and Microdevices Laboratory

Professor Qasaimeh’s group is developing micro and nanotechnologies for healthcare applications. Of special interest are devices for point-of-care diagnostics that use blood samples to detect, for example, metastatic tumor cells or fetal cells for genetic analysis. His research elucidates how cancer cells migrate in the body and how white blood cells respond to infections.

Applied Micro-Bioengineering Laboratory (AMBL)

Taking advantage of state-of-art nanotechnologies and fabricating fascinating functional biomaterials and integrated biosystems, Professor Weiqiang Chen’s laboratory addresses numerous important problems in fundamental biology as well as clinical applications in disease diagnosis and treatment.

Virtual Tours: Lab 619 and Lab 621

Integrated BioElectronics Laboratory

Professor Sohmyung Ha’s lab aims at advancing the engineering and applications of silicon integrated technology interfacing with biology. This is approached in a variety of forms, ranging from implantable biomedical devices to unobtrusive wearable sensors.

Micro- and Nano-scale Bioengineering Lab

The research in the Professor Yong-Ak (Rafael) Song’s group at NYU-AD lies at the interface between biology, physics and engineering. More specifically, their research is focused on applying microfluidics and nanofluidics to broad range of challenges in bioscience and medicine.

MicroParticle PhotoPhysics Laboratory for BioPhotonics

We are involved in inventing cutting-edge photonic techniques for detecting individual virus particles. We recently detected single Influenza A virus in-vitro and is pushing its patented Whispering Gallery Mode Biosensor to higher sensitivity in order to detect single HIV virions.

Nanooptical Bioengineering Lab

Hoagang Cai’s lab advancec nanotechnology for biological and biomedical applications. Employing nanolithographic technology, his group creates designer biomaterials and metasurfaces with unprecedented precision and functionality. Applications range from studying T-cell activation in cancer treatment to photo-stimulation in optogenetics and brain research.

Pinkerton Nanomaterials Research Group

Nanomedicine is a fast-emerging field that focuses on the development and application of nanomaterials to diagnose and treat diseases. Professor Nathalie Pinkerton’s team focuses on the creation of functional soft materials via scalable synthetic processes. To that end they employ tools from chemical and materials engineering, nanotechnology, chemistry, and biology. Their work leads to a better understanding of nanomaterial behavior in biological systems and, for example, more sensitive contrast agents for medical imaging.

Protein Engineering and Design Lab

Jin Kim Montclare’s lab is performing groundbreaking research in engineering proteins to mimic nature and, in some cases, work better than nature. Her team works to customize artificial proteins with the aim of targeting human disorders, drug delivery and tissue regeneration as well as create nanomaterials for electronics. Applications of this multidisciplinary research in chemistry and genetic engineering range from new vehicles for drug delivery to treating breast cancer.

Reverse Bioengineering Laboratory

The primary objective of Professor Kenichiro Kamei’s lab is to revolutionize the field of biomedical engineering by reconstructing complete human and animal bodies using cutting-edge engineering techniques. A prime example of their work is the development of the “Body on a Chip” (BoC) system, which simulates physiological and pathological conditions of living organisms in vitro. This work has far-reaching implications for drug discovery and regenerative medicine.

Angelaki Lab

The systems and computational neuroscience laboratory of Professor Dora Angelaki focuses on how the brain generates perception and cognition. Her group studies how multi-sensory signals flow dynamically across brain areas, how causal inference is implemented in the brain, how beliefs propagate through the network, and how internal states modulate this information flow.

Computational Neuroscience, Neuroengineering, and Neuropsychiatry Laboratory (CN3)

The research in Professor Sage Chen’s lab aims to find solutions for real-time brain-machine interfaces, pain management, and psychiatric disorders. Developing a better understanding of memory and sleep is another goal. To accomplish all this, they advance and integrate the fields of computational neuroscience, neural engineering, and machine learning.

Hudson Lab

Todd Hudson is a computational neuroscientist whose research focuses on modeling sensory and motor systems, particularly eye and arm movements in healthy and disease states. He received his training at the Clarence Graham Memorial Laboratory of Visual Science at Columbia University, and co-founded Tactile Navigation Tools, LLC, a company that develops navigation aids for the visually impaired.

Laboratory for Advanced Neuroengineering and Translational Medicine

Professor Khalil Ramadi and his team develop innovative approaches for the modulation of neural activity throughout the body. The goal is to come up with novel therapies for neurologic, metabolic, and immune disorders. They combine mechanical, electrical, materials, and bio-engineering toolkits in the design of minimally invasive technologies.

Laboratory for Comparative Brain Dynamics

Despite their centrality to everyday life, the neural underpinnings of motor sequences in human speech are poorly understood. Prof. Long’s group seeks to identify the relevant brain processing centers involved in communication. To accomplish this, they focus on three distinct types of behaviors and models: song production in the zebra finch, counter-singing in Alston’s brown mice, and human speech.

Medical Cyber-Physical Systems Laboratory

Professor Rose Faghih group develops biomedical signal processing and control algorithms for human-technology interactions and monitoring. These state-of-the-art tools are employed for prognosis, diagnosis, and treatment of pathological conditions related to neuro-endocrine and neuro-psychiatric disorders.

Neural Circuits and Algorithm Group

The aim of Dr. Chklovskii’s research is to understand how the brain analyzes large and complex datasets streamed by sensory organs. Informed by anatomical and physiological neuroscience data, his group develops algorithms that model brain computation and solve machine learning tasks. The overarching goal it to build artificial neural systems and treating mental illness.

Neural Interface Engineering Lab

The team of Professor Shy Shoham works at the interface of neuroscience and engineering, developing and applying modern bidirectional neural interfaces for observing and controlling neural population activity patterns. Their goal is to better understand sensory-motor information coding and to advance medical neurotechnology.

Pain Management Laboratory

The human experience of pain is incredibly complex. Understanding how pain affects patients, and how best to manage it, is Prof. Jing Wang’s goal. His research interest is centered on the role of brain circuits in the regulation of acute and chronic pain. Of particular interest are the cortical mechanisms of pain processing and regulation

Perception and Brain Dynamics Laboratory

Every day, our brains cycle through different states of awareness: from the rich conscious experiences during wakefulness to dreamless sleep to the bizarre experiences during dreaming sleep. Understanding the neural basis of conscious awareness is the basic goal of Prof. Biyu He’s team. She is using a combination functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), magneto- encephalography (MEG) and invasive electrophysiology to explore relevant neural mechanisms and characterize various neuropsychiatric illnesses.

Social Behavior Neuroscience Lab

Social behaviors such as fighting, defense, and parenting, are innate and ubiquitous across the animal kingdoms. The research in Dr. Lin’s laboratory centers on understanding the neural circuits underlying these behaviors. Various genetic engineering, tracing, functional manipulation, in vivo electrophysiological recording and computational tools are combined to dissect the neural circuits in a great detail.

Speech Language Electrocortiography Laboratory

How is language produced and perceived in the human brain? What are the network dynamics that allow us to fluently communicate? These questions are still poorly understood and collaborations between scientists, clinicians, and engineers are crucial for making progress in this fascinating field. Adeen Flinker and his team are using unique human neurosurgical recordings and advanced data processing algorithms to elucidate these questions.

Davoli Lab

What are the causes and consequences of genomic copy number alterations (i.e. aneuploidy) in cancer and how does this affect patients’ response to therapy, especially immuno-therapy? These are among the main questions Prof. Teresa Davoli’s lab is interested in. To answer these questions, they utilize a variety of experimental and computational approaches, from large-scale genetic screens in human cells, to prediction of survival in cancer patients.

Holt Lab

Professor Liam Holt and his team are investigating how perturbations to the physical properties of the cell interior through mechanical forces impact cell and developmental biology. They apply this knowledge to improve ways to treat cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s.