Jose Fermin Balda Aizpurua (ESR03)
PhD student at University of Liège
- Country of residence
- Belgium
- Country of origin
- Spain
- Supervisor
- Dr. Gilles Vandewalle
- Starting date
- November 1, 2021
I come from a Biomedical Engineering background. As result, some of the areas I have deep technical formation include medical equipment, biostatistics and image processing. During my academic years, I have worked on many of the projects that are important to my experience and I have always had a genuine interest in the human brain, which eventually lead to my interest in neuroscience and cognitive science.
The lack of knowledge about the human brain is the main reason why neuroscience is so interesting to me. So, during my Master Thesis, I investigated the correlations between cardiovascular and dementia risk factors and brain atrophy and micro-structure at Cita Alzheimer.
Besides neuroscience, I have lots of interest in MRI techniques and medical imaging equipment. I’m always looking forward to learning more about these technologies, because they are constantly evolving to face up new challenges that science and medicine has to offer.
Non-Image-forming impact of light on subcortical structures
In my research project, we aim at establishing the fundamental roles of subcortical areas of the brain in mediating the Non image Forming (NIF) impact of light. It will further assess age-related change in the impact of light on brain activity. The present research project is highly innovative in terms of techniques, with high field 7-Tesla MRI, novel MRI and fMRI acquisition and analysis schemes specifically dedicated towards the brainstem with high resolution. Original analyses using intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) responses in rodents and metameric illumination.
Meetings
LIGHTCAP meetings, on-line