Ali R. Khan
Scientist
Why I Became a Scientist
My passion for science and knowledge began early on; my parents claim I was digging through encyclopedia sets just as I was learning my ABCs, but it was much later when I realized I wanted to become a scientist. Growing up, I was always near a computer, learning to script, code and hack from an early age. It was the enjoyment I got out of working and building these systems that finally led me to engineering school. Then, during a co-op term as an engineering student, I became exposed to medical imaging and began to work with magnetic resonance images of the brain. Once I realized I could apply my knowledge of computers towards medicine, potentially impacting patient lives, I was hooked. I went on to complete my PhD in this area, learning as much as I could about the brain along the way. I joined Robarts Research Institute to push my research in an even more translational direction, and realized my goal of becoming a scientist. At Robarts, I am working with a renowned team of clinicians and scientists, tackling the big problems faced in health, and training the next generation of researchers.
Research Summary
Medical images play a critical role in the diagnosis and monitoring of disease, and the planning and guidance of surgical therapies. My lab develops and applies sophisticated image processing and analysis techniques to extract, quantify, and distill information from medical images, ultimately leading to more accurate diagnoses and more precise surgical interventions.
Research Questions
Can ultra-high field 7T MRI help us better understand the structure and function of the hippocampus?
The hippocampus is a brain structure that has been implicated in many different neurological conditions including epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease, where it plays a role in both diagnosis and treatment. Emerging evidence is revealing that the different sub-structures, or subfields, of the hippocampus are uniquely affected by disease, and that complete understanding of the disorder requires careful consideration of the complex hippocampal anatomy and circuitry. My lab is investigating novel imaging and image analysis techniques using 7T MRI to characterize and quantify structure and function of the hippocampus to improve clinical care of epilepsy patients.
Can we use advanced quantitative and diffusion MRI technologies to improve surgical treatment of neurological disorders?
Brain surgery to treat drug-resistant epilepsy or brain cancer is very challenging, as the surgeon needs to trade-off completely removing the disease with sparing healthy functional tissue. Planning how much of the brain to treat requires knowledge of the neurological pathways and abnormal regions, however, this can be difficult as the boundaries are not always well defined. My lab is developing novel approaches to guide neurosurgeons towards more optimal therapies and is actively collaborating with Synaptive Medical to bring these technologies into the operating room.
Education
- Ph.D. Engineering Science, Simon Fraser University
- B.ASc. Engineering Science, Simon Fraser University
Training
- Postdoctoral Fellow, Robarts Research Institute, Western University
Awards
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research Fellowship (2012-2014)
- Epilepsy Canada Postdoctoral Fellowship (2011-2012)
Publications
Contact Info
Ali R. Khan, PhD
Scientist, Imaging Research Laboratories
Robarts Research Institute
Western University
London, Ontario
N6A 5B7
Phone: 519-931-5777 ext. 24280
Email: ali.khan@uwo.ca
Website: www.khanlab.ca
