Health

The AOIL consists of a team of ophthalmologists, engineers, software specialists, statisticians, and trainees that focus primarily on the study of glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness in the world. The groups of Profs. Schuman, Wollstein and Ishikawa develop advanced imaging tools to detect this disease, monitor its progression, and investigate its pathogenesis.

We aim to establish mathematical models, quantitative criteria, and algorithmic/computational foundations toward their implementations in robotics (for design and control), biomechanical systems (for prediction and analysis), and their intersections such as lower-body wearable robots. Our current research topics include energetics of dynamic systems, legged balance and gait stability, and integration of dynamics/control with numerical optimization.

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

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.

The overarching goal of our research is to develop the principles needed to incorporate unstructured, Internet and mobile data into a better understanding of population-level health. We primarily develop computational methods across data mining, natural language processing, and machine learning to generate features for spatio-temporal population-level public health models.

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.

Through the novel use of observational and analytical techniques, the Urban Observatory at the Center for Urban Science + Progress (CUSP-UO) studies the complex interactions between the physical, natural, and human components of the city as a coherent, definable system with the goal of enhancing public well-being, city operations, and future urban plans. 

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.

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. Their theoretical expertise is in controls, networks, nonlinear dynamics, and time-series, while our application domain is in modeling and analysis of physical, social, and technical systems. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

To respond to a changing environment, cells have to express the right genes at the right time. Professor Timothy Lionnet’s lab tries to understand how exactly this is achieved and how robust responses emerge from random molecular events. Getting insights into these biomolecular processes will ultimately provide new tools to tackle, for example, wound healing, cancer, and many other diseases.

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.

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.

Blending theory with experiments, Professor Andras Gyorgy’s team focuses on the behavior of networks with particular emphasis on synthetic biology applications.

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.

Our research team studies the physics of electronic materials and their application in building devices and circuits. We are an experimental group with experience in the synthesis of layered materials, nanofabrication of electronic devices, and electrical measurements at both room and cryogenic temperatures.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.