Awarded in 2013
Home Department: Bioengineering
Faculty Advisors: Kim Pauly (Radiology) and Stephen Baccus (Neurobiology)
Research Title: Elucidating the mechanisms of in vivo ultrasound neuromodulation
Research Description: Ultrasound neuromodulation is a non-invasive method shown to be safe and effective for stimulating and inhibiting neural activity in vivo. While several neuro-modulatory and physiological effects have been demonstrated with ultrasound neuromodulation in vivo, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Patrick proposes to examine whether cavitation, thermal and acoustic radiation force bioeffects are causal of ultrasound neuromodulation using a combination of in vivo, imaging, and computational simulation tech-niques. Equipped with greater understanding of the underlying mechanism, he aims to develop ultrasound neuromodulation as a potential method to inhibit seizure activity and perhaps lead to the development of novel therapies for other neurological disorders.
WHERE IS HE NOW?
Patrick is a fellow at BillionToOne, a molecular diagnostics startup in Menlo Park, CA.