Prof. LindaChao | cognitive neuroscience | Best Researcher Award

Prof. LindaChao | cognitive neuroscience | Best Researcher Award 🏆

Professor/Research Career Scientist at UCSF/San Francisco VA Health Care System🎓

Dr. Linda L. Chao is a highly respected neuroscientist whose journey began with a B.S. in Biological Sciences and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from UC Davis. Following her postdoctoral training as a Cognitive Neuroscience Fellow at the National Institute of Mental Health, Dr. Chao joined UCSF, where she is now a Professor in Radiology, Psychiatry, and Behavioral Sciences. She also contributes significantly to veteran health research at the San Francisco VA Medical Center. Renowned for her expertise in cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging, Dr. Chao employs advanced MRI, PET, and fMRI techniques to study neurodegenerative diseases, Gulf War Illness, and PTSD. Her groundbreaking work in non-pharmacological therapies for Alzheimer’s and trauma-related conditions has earned her prestigious awards, including the UC Davis Graduate Research Award and the NIMH Fellows Award for Research Excellence. As an active member of key neuroscience organizations and a dedicated mentor, Dr. Chao is a vital figure in advancing mental health research and neuroimaging innovations.

Professional Profile 

Education 🎓:

Dr. Linda L. Chao earned her B.S. in Biological Sciences (1987-1991) and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience (1991-1996) from the University of California, Davis. Her dedication to understanding the brain and its functions began here, paving the way for her groundbreaking work in neuroscience and cognitive research.

 

Work Experience 💼:

Dr. Chao’s career reflects a strong commitment to advancing mental health research. Her postdoctoral training took place at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) as a Cognitive Neuroscience Fellow (1996-2000). She joined the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) as an Assistant Professor in Radiology and Psychiatry in 2001, advancing to Associate Professor and later Professor in the departments of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, Psychiatry, and Behavioral Sciences. She also holds a significant role with the San Francisco VA Medical Center, where she contributes to research safety and promotes veteran health.

 

Skills 🔍

Dr. Chao is highly skilled in cognitive neuroscience, neuroimaging, and radiology. She has expertise in analyzing brain health through MRI, PET, and fMRI imaging techniques. Her experience extends to research safety, clinical trials, and therapeutic interventions for neurodegenerative diseases and Gulf War Illness. Her innovative skills in cognitive and neuroimaging research support her work in developing non-pharmacological interventions for conditions like PTSD and Alzheimer’s.

 

Awards and Honors 🏆

Dr. Chao’s research excellence is recognized with numerous awards, including the University of California, Davis Graduate Research Award (1994) and the Fellows Award for Research Excellence from the National Institute of Mental Health (1999). These honors underscore her significant contributions to cognitive neuroscience and clinical research.

 

🤝 Memberships:

Dr. Chao is actively involved in multiple professional organizations, including the Society for Neuroscience (SFN), Cognitive Neuroscience Society (CNS), and the International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISAART). Her memberships reflect her dedication to staying at the forefront of neuroscience, cognitive health, and clinical research.

Teaching Experience 👩‍🏫:

With a passion for mentoring, Dr. Chao has taught at UCSF’s School of Medicine, facilitating courses on brain, mind, and behavior. She has lectured on clinical fMRI applications and led seminars on neuroimaging. Her role as a mentor has influenced many students and researchers in radiology, psychology, and psychiatry, shaping the future of neuroscience.

 

Research Focus 🔬:

Dr. Chao’s research primarily explores cognitive function, neurodegenerative diseases, and neuroimaging in veterans. Her work on Gulf War Illness and the effects of sarin exposure highlights her commitment to understanding trauma impacts on the brain. Additionally, she investigates photobiomodulation therapies, non-pharmacological dementia treatments, and PTSD interventions. Her recent studies reveal the complex interactions between genetic factors and environmental exposures affecting brain health.

Conclusion 

Dr. Linda L. Chao is a deserving candidate for the Best Researcher Award. Her remarkable contributions to cognitive neuroscience, dedication to mentoring, and commitment to understanding the brain’s response to trauma and neurotoxic exposure make her a vital asset to the field. With her current momentum and slight expansion in her research’s reach and collaboration, Dr. Chao is well-positioned to continue making substantial, globally impactful advancements in neuroscience.

📚 Publilcation 

  • Topic: Implementing a new multidisciplinary, remote, dementia staff training program for Veterans Affairs nursing homes
    • Year: 2024
    • Journal: BMC Health Services Research
  • Topic: Olfactory and cognitive decrements in 1991 Gulf War veterans with Gulf War illness/chronic multisymptom illness
    • Year: 2024
    • Journal: Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source
  • Topic: Current health status of Gulf War deployed and Gulf War era veterans who use Veterans Affairs health care
    • Year: 2024
    • Journal: Journal of Women’s Health
  • Topic: PON1 status in relation to Gulf War Illness: Evidence of gene–exposure interactions from a multisite case–control study of 1990–1991 Gulf War veterans
    • Year: 2024
    • Journal: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
  • Topic: Gulf War illness is associated with host gut microbiome dysbiosis and is linked to altered species abundance in veterans from the BBRAIN cohort
    • Year: 2024
    • Journal: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
  • Topic: Livestream, group movement program for people living with cognitive impairment and care partners: A randomized clinical trial
    • Year: 2024
    • Journal: Alzheimer’s and Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions
  • Topic: Characterizing 1991 Gulf War women veterans from the Boston Biorepository and Integrative Network for Gulf War Illness: Demographics, exposures, neuroimaging, and cognitive outcomes
    • Year: 2024
    • Journal: Clinical Neuropsychologist
  • Topic: Cognitive decrements in 1991 Gulf War veterans: Associations with Gulf War illness and neurotoxicant exposures in the Boston Biorepository, Recruitment, and Integrative Network (BBRAIN) cohorts
    • Year: 2023
    • Journal: Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source

 

Amit Chougule | Cognitive Neuroscience | Best Researcher Award

Mr Amit Chougule | Cognitive Neuroscience | Best Researcher Award

 

Researcher at Manentia AI, India

 

 

📚 Amit Chougule is a distinguished deep learning and AI researcher with a PhD from BITS Pilani, dedicated to advancing AI through cutting-edge research, algorithm development, and impactful industry contributions. He has over 3 years of expertise in AI and Computer Vision, having worked with esteemed organizations like Philips Research, Sony Research India, and Carleton University’s TrustCAV Research. Amit is proficient in Python and skilled in utilizing various libraries for data manipulation, statistical analysis, and machine learning. His experience includes designing end-to-end AI solutions and developing models for healthcare, autonomous vehicles, and more. 🚀🤖📊

Professional Profile:

 

🎓 Education:

  • PhD in Computer Vision & AI, BITS Pilani, Pilani (2021-2024)
    • Thesis: Artificial Intelligence Enabled Vehicular Vision and Service Provisioning for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)
    • Supervisors: Dr. Vinay Chamola, Dr. Pratik Narang & Prof. F. Richard Yu (IEEE Fellow)
  • M.Tech in Big Data & IoT, PES University, Bengaluru (2018-2020)
    • Specializations: IoT, Cloud Computing, Big Data & Cyber Security
  • B.Tech in Computer Engineering, Shivaji University (2013-2017)
    • Focus Areas: Computer Algorithm, Data Structure, Computer Networks & Operating System

💼 Experience:

  • Visiting Researcher, Carleton University, Canada (Dec 2022 – June 2023)
    • Developed techniques for enhancing self-driving vehicles.
    • Analyzed the impact of abnormal weather on vision-based autonomous vehicle operations.
    • Introduced a computer vision-based attention model for reliable autonomous driving in adverse weather.
  • Computer Vision Intern (PhD), Sony Research (Oct 2022 – Nov 2022)
    • Innovated a computer vision model for diagnosing diseases using biomarkers.
    • Developed an advanced pipeline for predicting diseases based on anatomical biomarkers.
  • Machine Learning Engineer, AIvolved Technologies (Aug 2020 – Dec 2020)
    • Worked on object detection, tracking, pose estimation, and web scraping for applications like gait analysis and traffic analysis.
  • Computer Vision Intern, Philips Healthcare Research (July 2019 – July 2020)
    • Conducted research on ultrasound medical imaging.
    • Developed an Anatomical Intelligent Fetal Heart Ultrasound Scanning technique.
    • Implemented an AI model for precise estimation of fetal femur length.

🔧 Skills:

  • Programming Languages: C, C++, JAVA, Python, SQL
  • Machine Learning Frameworks: PyTorch, Keras, TensorFlow
  • CI/CD Tools: Git
  • MLOps Frameworks and Tools: Docker, Kubernetes
  • Data Pipelines and Analytics Tools: Apache Spark, PySpark
  • Image Processing: OpenCV, Matplotlib, Scikit-image, SciPy, Pillow
  • Generative AI: Autoencoders, GANs, Diffusion Models
  • Computer Vision Domains: Image Classification, Object Detection, Object Tracking, Segmentation, Pose Estimation, Computational Geometry, Image Generation
  • Medical Imaging Tools: ImageJ, 3D Slicer, OsiriX, SimpleITK, ITK-SNAP, RadiAnt DICOM
  • Hardware: Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Nvidia Jetson Nano

🏆 Awards and Honors:

  1. Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) Specialization by Coursera
  2. Deep Learning with Numpy by Udemy
  3. Getting Started with AWS Machine Learning by Amazon (Coursera)
  4. Computer Vision Basics by University at Buffalo and The State University of New York (Coursera)
  5. Digital Image Processing with OpenCV in Python by GEO University
  6. Data Science with Python by Pluralsight
  7. Pandas Foundations by Datacamp
  8. Python (Advanced Level) by HackerRank

🔬 Research Focus:

Amit Chougule is dedicated to advancing artificial intelligence through cutting-edge research, innovative algorithm development, and impactful industry contributions. He focuses on:

  • Deep Learning Technology: Solving complex real-world problems and driving societal impact.
  • Computer Vision: Enhancing autonomous vehicle capabilities, especially in adverse weather conditions.
  • Medical Imaging: Developing AI models for accurate disease diagnosis and fetal growth prediction.
  • AI Solutions: Designing end-to-end AI solutions, from data pipeline architecture to model deployment.

Publications: