Grace Parraga, Associate Professor, Medical Biophysics, Biomedical Engineering, Medical Imaging, Oncology, The University of Western Ontario, Scientist, Imaging Research Laboratories
Why I Became a Scientist
I was always curious and deeply sceptical about the material I was taught as a child, and I was driven to “prove it to myself” when provided information as a young learner (which proved to be very hard on my parents and teachers). I also had an opportunity to work with patients as a young teenager and continued to do so in a primary care facility for 6 summers and this drove my curiosity about disease mechanisms and treatments in particular. I’m still never satisfied with the status quo with respect to our understanding of disease and continue to be driven to explain why, what, how and how to fix. Now that I’m training the next generation of scientists -many of whom are driven by the same scepticism and curiosity, it is both stimulating and rewarding – I can’t wait to get up in the morning and get in to work!
Research Summary
My current research program is focussed on human disease and in particular we are developing new Magnetic Resonance Imaging, (MRI) three-dimensional ultrasound (3DUS) and x-ray computed tomography (CT) image measurements of stroke risk, chronic lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis and lung cancer because of the dire clinical need for improved diagnosis and treatment. The overarching concept that drives all the research projects in the lab is the that direct visualization of disease structure and function in patients provides direct disease measurements that are more sensitive, specific, precise and most importantly, clinically relevant than other less direct measurements. We think that the new measurements of disease that we develop (using both software and hardware tools developed in my lab) can be used for earlier detection, better understandings, disease prevention strategies, the development of new and more effective treatments.
Research Questions and Disease Implications
Can imaging measurements of smoking-related lung disease be used to predict patient outcomes?
We are developing safe, sensitive and precise tools that can provide measurements of underlying disease pathology that can be used to track patients over time and in response to treatment. This will help us understand why some patients do better than others with the same apparent disease severity.
Do some patients with smoking-related lung disease have a dominant disease type that can be used to help guide therapy?
We are developing a way to reclassify patients with smoking-related lung disease based upon their specific disease pathology and/or combinations of disease pathologies – which can’t currently be done and we will use this information to guide personalized therapy to help improve long term outcomes.
How does the lung age in healthy non-smokers and are there differences between men and women?
Lungs age and some of the specific changes provide us with clues about diseased and aging lungs and why some disease is apparently worse in women than in men.
Education
• PhD, University of Washington Seattle USA (Biochemistry)
• MSc, The University of Western Ontario London Canada (Biochemistry)
• BSc (Hons), The University of Western Ontario London Canada (Biochemistry)
Training
• Post-doctoral Fellowship Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel Switzerland
Awards
• Finalist, JR Cunningham Young Investigator Award, Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists Annual Meeting 2009
• Margaret Moffat Research Day Prize (Best Poster: Imaging) 2009 Schulich School of Medicine, The University of Western Ontario
• Margaret Moffat Research Day Prize (Best Poster: Imaging)
• Schulich School of Medicine, The University of Western Ontario 2008
• Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (2nd prize Poster) SPIE Medical Imaging Conference 2008
• University Students Council Teaching Honour Roll Clinical Methods MD Undergraduate Program The University of Western Ontario (2004)
• Medical Research Council of Canada Postdoctoral Fellowship Award 1991
• Roche Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship Award 1991
• Canton of Basel, Department of Education University of Basel Teaching Award 1990
Publications
• L. Mathew*, D.G. McCormack and G. Parraga. Hyperpolarized 3He Magnetic Resonance Pulmonary Imaging: Image Processing Tools for Clinical Research. IEEE Signals Systems and Computers. 2009.ISBN:978-1 -4244-7 ISSN: 1058-6393.
• N. Nanayakkara, B. Chiu*, A. Samani, A., J.D. Spence, J. Samarabandu, G. Parraga, and A. Fenster. Nonrigid Registration of Three-dimensional Ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance Images of the Carotid Arteries. Med Phys.36:373-385. 2009.
• A. House, C. Mallett*, A. Krasinski*, M. Egger* and G. Parraga. Non-invasive Imaging Measurements of Carotid Atherosclerosis in One, Two and Three Dimensions. International Atherosclerosis Society: Invited Commentary. www.athero.org February 2, 2009.
• A. Krasinsk*i, B. Chiu*, A. Fenster and G. Parraga. Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Three-dimensional Ultrasound of Carotid Atherosclerosis: Mapping Regional Differences. J Mag Reson Imaging 29: 901-908 2009.
• B. Chiu*, V. Beletsky, J.D. Spence, G. Parraga and A. Fenster. Analysis of Carotid Lumen Surface Morphology using 3-Dimensional Ultrasound Imaging. Phys. Med. Biol. 54; 1149-67, 2009.
• C. Mallett*, A. House, J.D. Spence, A. Fenster and G. Parraga. Longitudinal Evaluation of Carotid Atherosclerosis using Three-dimensional Ultrasound. Ultrasound Med. Biol. 35:367-75, 2009.
• A. Vidal*, Y. Bureau, B. Rutt, A. Fenster and G. Parraga. Intra-observer and Inter-scan variability of Black Blood Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Carotid Atherosclerosis at 1.5 and 3.0 Tesla. Phys. Med. Biol. 53; 6821-6835, 2008.
• B. Chiu*, M. Egger*, J. David Spence, G. Parraga and A. Fenster. Quantification of Carotid Vessel Wall and Plaque Thickness Change Using 3D Ultrasound Images Med. Phys. 35(8): 3691-3710, 2008.
• A. Evans*, D.G. McCormack, R. Etemad-Rezai, G. Santyr and G. Parraga. Mapping Hyperpolarized 3He Magnetic Resonance Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Gradients in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. J Appl Physiol 105:693-9, 2008
• M. Egger*, A. Krasinski*, B. Rutt, A. Fenster and G. Parraga. Comparison of B-mode Ultrasound, 3-dimensional Ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Measurements of Carotid Atherosclerosis J Ultrasound Med 27:1321-34, 2008
• B. Chiu*, M. Egger*, J. David Spence, G. Parraga and A. Fenster. Area-Preserving Flattening Maps of 3D Ultrasound Carotid Artery Images Med Image Anal 12: 676-688, 2008
• L. Mathew*, A. Evans*, A. Ouriadov, R. Etemad-Rezai, R. Fogel, G. Santyr, D.G. McCormack and G. Parraga. Hyperpolarized 3He Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Reproducibility at 3.0Tesla. Acad. Rad 15:1298-311, 2008
• B. Chiu*, M. Egger*, J.D. Spence G. Parraga and A. Fenster. Development of 3D ultrasound techniques for carotid artery disease assessment and monitoring Int. J. CARS 3:1-10, 2008.
• G. Parraga, L. Mathew*, R. Etemad-Rezai, D.G. McCormack and G. Santyr. Hyperpolarized 3He Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Ventilation Defects in Healthy Elderly Volunteers: Initial Findings at 3.0 Tesla. Acad Rad. 15:776-85, 2008.
• M. Egger*, J.D. Spence, A. Fenster and G. Parraga. Mapping Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Carotid Atherosclerosis using 3-dimensional Ultrasound. Ultrasound Med Biol. 34, 64-72 2008.
• A. Evans*, D. McCormack. A. Ouriadov, R. Etemad-Rezai, G. Santyr and G. Parraga. Anatomical Distribution of 3He Apparent Diffusion Coefficients in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. J Mag Reson Imaging 26,1537-1547 2007.
• G. Parraga, A. Ouriadov, A. Evans*, S. McKay, W. Lam, A. Fenster, R. Etemad-Rezai, D. McCormack and G Santyr. Hyperpolarized 3He Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Preliminary Experience at 3.0 Tesla. Invest Radiol.42, 384-391 2007.