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Maria Angela Franceschini, PhD
Assistant Professor in Radiology at Harvard Medical School
Assistant Physicist at Massachusetts General Hospital
Department of Radiology, MGH
PhD, Physics, University of Florence - Italy
149 Thirteenth Street, Rm 2301
Charlestown, MA 02129
Phone: 617-726-4024
Fax: 617-726-7422
Location: CNY149-2278
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DESCRIPTION OF WORK / BIOSKETCH
My research activity is focused on non-invasive functional studies of the brain using light in the visible and near infrared spectral region (wavelength range: 650-950 nm). The information that one can obtain with optical methods is mostly related to changes in the blood flow and in the oxygen saturation of hemoglobin in the cerebral cortex. This is relevant because one can detect and investigate the hemodynamics associated with brain activity. Furthermore, optical methods may be sensitive to the direct
effects of neuronal activation, thus opening new opportunities for the investigation of neurovascular coupling. The non-invasive detection of the optical "fast" signal (directly determined by neuronal activity) and its relationship with the "slow" optical signal (resulting from the hemodynamic response to activation) are two of my key research interests. The other research project I'm working on is the development of a novel near-infrared spectroscopy device for the continuous monitoring of the regional tissue
saturation, arterial saturation, and venous saturation in the neonate's brain. Such a device could potentially detect brain tissue compromise before the development of irreversible structural damage, thus allowing for timely and specific intervention.
LINKS
http://www.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/DOT/people/mari.htm
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