Research Interests

A primary focus of my research is to examine the expression of  network plasticity following neurological insult.  To do so, my lab investigates the effects of brain  injury or disease in humans in order to assess alterations in functional brain organization. This research includes both behavioral and MRI-based techniques and examines both acute and long-term patient outcome variables. MRI-based techniques provide the opportunity to examine changes in neural networks and the implication those changes have for cognitive and functional outcome. In my laboratory, these MRI methods include proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy to examine neurometabolism, diffusion tensor imaging to examine structural white matter changes, and functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the behavioral deficits evident during stimulation. Currently, investigations are being carried out with collaborators in the Departments of Radiology at the University of Medicine and Dentistry in Newark, New Jersey (UMDNJ-NJMS) and the Departments of Radiology and Neurology at the Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, PA.  Current work at these sites makes use of advanced imaging techniques to examine plastic brain change early and late after traumatic brain injury.