Integrated Neurotechnology Laboratory

Bing (Brian) Yao, PhD, directs the Integrated Neurotechnology Laboratory, part of the Rocco Ortenzio Neuroimaging Center where he is also assistant director at Kessler Foundation. The Lab team conducts research using multi-modality biomedical techniques including anatomical and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG), and electromyography (EMG). Team researchers apply these techniques in clinical applications to explore the pathological mechanisms of a number of neurological disorders such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injury (SCI), multiple sclerosis (MS), and more.

The Lab team has used advanced diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), a noninvasive MRI technology, to assess recovery outcomes in SCI by detecting nerve fiber structural changes above and below the injury site. Another study examined the association between the amount of iron concentration in the brain and cognitive fatigue symptoms employing MRI Susceptibility Contrast Imaging in individuals with MS. This research revealed abnormal iron deposits in specific brain regions that may contribute to symptoms. In addition, researchers are employing fMRI, EEG, and EMG to investigate the interplay between cognitive fatigue and muscle fatigue in patients with MS and TBI. This research aims to study the interaction of these two types of fatigues on the behavioral and neural level. Findings will enhance the basic knowledge of fatigue experienced by clinical populations and provide the basis for the clinical community to develop interventions in fatigue treatment.