Current Lab Members - MICA Lab | Radiology

We are seeking graduate/undergraduate students and postdocs with engineering backgrounds, and MD researchers to join our team!

Faculty

Chun Yuan, PhD

Professor

Chun Yuan is a leading international expert in cardiovascular imaging, using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to visualize disease in the vascular system. He has pioneered MRI techniques for atherosclerosis characterization along with standardizing methods for diagnosis and quantitative analysis and is now expanding these advanced imaging and image analysis techniques to study aging-related disease in the brain.

Xiaodong Ma, PhD

Assistant Professor

801-581-6088

Xiaodong Ma is an MRI physicist who is interested in developing advanced MRI techniques and validating their value in clinical applications. He has over 10 years’ experience of MRI pulse sequence programming and image reconstruction on both 3T and 7T MRI scanners with multiple venders. His research interests include developing innovative imaging tools for neurovascular diseases, and translating their potential into the value of facilitating clinical practice. He is also interested in imaging protocol standardization and optimization.

Staff

Kazem Hashemizadeh, PhD

Data Scientist

Kazem Hashemizadeh is a data scientist with the Radiology and Imaging Sciences Department, University of Utah, working with faculties and PIs to develop their projects related to AI and machine learning in medical imaging. He has more than 10 years of experience and a broad background in signal and image processing, with expertise in statistical analysis, MR image reconstruction, and machine and deep learning techniques for medical imaging. In his PhD research, he has developed image processing methods for accelerated diffusion MR acquisitions which helps to make advanced diffusion techniques available clinically by shortening the long scan and processing times for such techniques.

s.hashemizadehkolowri@utah.edu

Postdoctoral Fellows

Ebru Akcicek, MD

Postdoctoral Fellow

Ebru is a skilled medical doctor from Turkey with a specialization in carotid artery segmentation and atherosclerotic plaque component review. She is a vital member of the team responsible for developing an AI-based segmentation system for carotid arteries. Her research interests lie in exploring the influence of geometrical factors on the progression of atherosclerosis in carotid arteries. In addition, Ebru is intrigued by the complex interactions between cognitive decline and intracranial calcification.

ebru.akcicek@utah.edu

Halit Akcicek, MD

Postdoctoral Fellow

Halit is a medical doctor with expertise in the detection of carotid atherosclerosis and intraplaque pathologies. He has extensive experience in using advanced imaging techniques to identify and analyze the progression of these conditions. Currently, his primary research focus is on intracranial vascular calcification and its relationship to the development of dementia.

halit.akcicek@utah.edu