Alex Smith

PhD

Postdoctoral Scientist

Whitaker Scholar
Junior Research Fellow

My primary research goals is to develop new methods to quantify the underlying structural composition and metabolic activity in the nervous system. I am currently investigating a MRI sequence called chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST). CEST sequences can image the underlying metabolic activity in a tissue without the need for extraneous contrast. My aim is to develop these techniques at 7T in order to image glutamate in post-stroke patients in vivo to determine how these levels change following a stroke.

Recent publications

Amide proton transfer CEST of the cervical spinal cord in multiple sclerosis patients at 3T.
Journal article

By S. et al, (2018), Magn Reson Med, 79, 806 - 814
Pool size ratio of the substantia nigra in Parkinson's disease derived from two different quantitative magnetization transfer approaches.
Journal article

Trujillo P. et al, (2017), Neuroradiology, 59, 1251 - 1263
Contrast mechanisms associated with neuromelanin-MRI.
Journal article

Trujillo P. et al, (2017), Magn Reson Med, 78, 1790 - 1800
Quantitative characterization of optic nerve atrophy in patients with multiple sclerosis.
Journal article

Harrigan RL. et al, (2017), Mult Scler J Exp Transl Clin, 3
Improved Automatic Optic Nerve Radius Estimation from High Resolution MRI.
Conference paper

Harrigan RL. et al, (2017), Proc SPIE Int Soc Opt Eng, 10133

More publications