Biomedical imaging is a powerful component of diagnostic medicine and an essential tool in the biological sciences. Our faculty are engaged in cutting-edge research to: 

• Develop new imaging instruments with advanced image acquisition capabilities.

• Synthesize novel, contrast-enhancing agents for visualizing specific biomarkers.

• Create innovative image processing methods to extract more and better information from images.  

These advances are applied both in research laboratories to study and understand disease mechanisms, and in the clinic to diagnose diseases and improve human health. Current faculty efforts include applications in cardiovascular, cancer, vision and immune diseases.

The department offers training and coursework in a number of imaging modalities, including magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, ultrasound, computed tomography and optical imaging. The department is also home to the Center for Molecular and Genomic Imaging (CMGI), a small animal imaging resource that provides access and support for a number of noninvasive imaging systems. The interdisciplinary nature of imaging research is reflected in the diverse backgrounds of trainees in this area, which include physics, mechanical engineering, chemistry, biology, materials science and medical disciplines.