Dr. Jessie Fang-Lu Fu’s research focuses on the translational application of multimodal neuroimaging, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and machine learning in neurodegenerative disorders. Her main research interests include (i) evaluating the capability of novel digital cognitive assessment tools for detecting early pathophysiological deficits measured by PET and MRI in preclinical Alzheimer’s disease using machine learning and deep learning, (ii) evaluating the in-vivo kinetics and improving quantification of novel PET radioligand
using PET/MRI and improving the sensitivity for detecting early disease-related changes, (iii) developing and implementing multivariate analysis for extracting PET spatiotemporal patterns more sensitive for detecting subtle deficits in preclinical or early disease or for tracking disease progression.

Education

Ph.D. in Physics (Medical Physics), M.Sc. in Physics (Medical Physics), B.Sc. in Physics (Biophysics)

Select Publications

1. Fu, J.F., Lois, C., Sanchez, J., Becker, A., Rubinstein, Z., Thibault, E., Salvatore, A.N., Sari, H., Farrell, M., Normandin, M., Guehl, N., El Fakhri, G., Johnson, K., Price, J.C., 2022. Kinetic evaluation and assessment of longitudinal changes in reference region and extracerebral [18 F]MK-6240 PET uptake. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 24, 0271678X2211421.

2. Fu, J.F., Klyuzhin, I., McKenzie, J., Neilson, N., Shahinfard, E., Dinelle, K., McKeown, M.J., Stoessl, A.J., Sossi, V., 2019. Joint pattern analysis applied to PET DAT and VMAT2 imaging reveals new insights into Parkinson’s disease induced presynaptic alterations. NeuroImage Clin. 23, 101856.

3. Fu, J.F., Wegener, T., Klyuzhin, I.S., Mannheim, J.G., McKeown, M.J., Stoessl, A.J., Sossi, V., 2022. Spatiotemporal patterns of putaminal dopamine processing in Parkinson’s disease: A multi-tracer positron emission tomography study. NeuroImage Clin. 36, 103246.

Highlights

K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award (National Institute on Aging, NIH)

Brain Imaging Council Young Investigator Award (third place), Society of Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) Annual Meeting, 2022

Young Investigator Award (third place), International Symposium on Functional NeuroReceptor Mapping of the Living Brain, 2021