UCSF Physics Research Laboratory

UCSF Physics Research Laboratory pursues development and application of quantitative imaging techniques using ionizing radiation. The laboratory also trains graduate students and mentors postdoctoral fellows in quantitative biomedical imaging instrumentation and physics. Our resources include radionuclide and X-ray imaging instrumentation laboratory, radiation detection instruments, radiopharmaceutical handling/storage laboratory, dedicated high-performance computing servers, and preclinical SPECT/PET/CT/Optical imaging instruments. We also take advantage of state-of-the-art SPECT/CT, PET/CT, and PET/MR scanners that are available at our site for research use.

We are constantly looking for passionate undergraduate and graduate students, medical students, residents, and fellows, and postdoctoral trainees from UCSF, UCB, or other academic institutions who are interested in pursuing quantitative molecular imaging physics and instrumentation research. The number of openings and start times vary, depending on many factors, by the way.

Research

The Physics Research Laboratory explores advanced imaging science across multiple fronts, from developing cutting-edge instrumentation and modeling core MRI and CT physics, to applying big-data approaches for image analysis and reconstruction. The group investigates preclinical imaging methods, multi-modality techniques, and collaborates across Biomedical Imaging 202, Nuclear Engineering 207, and Bioengineering 230B to push the boundaries of what medical imaging can reveal.

Research Directions

Instrumentation and Physics Research

Big Data Research

Preclinical Imaging Research

Multi-Modality Imaging

Biomedical Imaging Courses

Opportunities

Graduate Students/Postdoctoral Fellowship Opportunities

Interested postdoctoral candidates, as well as undergraduate, graduate, and medical students or diagnostic radiology and nuclear medicine residents and fellows, are encouraged to contact our faculty PIs directly to discuss current opportunities and potential research involvement.

Our laboratory accepts undergraduate students through Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (URAP) of UC Berkeley.

Our laboratory accepts PhD students from UC Berkeley Nuclear Engineering.

Our laboratory accepts rotation and PhD students from UCSF/UC Berkeley Joint Graduate Group in Bioengineering.

People

Faculty and Principal Investigators

Youngho Seo, PhD

Professor

MSBI Program Director

Grant Gullberg, PhD

Adjunct Professor

Uttam Shrestha, PhD (2012-)
Shixian Du, MS (2023-)
Biswajit Das, PhD (2024-)
Naryman Lounici, BS (2025-)
Jimmy Xu, BS (2025-)
Sangho Lee, MS (2025-)
Jenny Szu, BS (2024-)
Kailey Choi (2025-)
Hannah Kim (2025-)
Omar Pena (2023-)
Wenjo Lai (2025-)
Maria Zaragoza, BS (2025-)
Makaha Morishita (2025-)

Yirang Wang, PhD (postdoctoral scholar, 2024-25)
Baharak Mehrdel, PhD (postdoctoral scholar, 2023-25)
Robin Peter, PhD (UCB PhD student, 2020-25)
Javier Caravaca, PhD (professional researcher, 2020-24)
Rebecca Shuere, BA (SRA, 2022-24)
Ryan Tang, BA (SRA, 2020-24)
Yifan Zheng, PhD (UCB PhD student, 2018-23)
Olexiy Dvornikov, PhD (postdoctoral scholar, 2023)
Jaewon Yang, PhD (specialist, 2014-22)
Mahsa Torkaman, PhD (associate specialist, 2020-21)
Bishal Upadhyaya, MS (USCF MSBI student and SRA, 2020)
Yoonsuk Huh, PhD (postdoctoral scholar, 2018-21)
Sally Ji Who Kim, PhD (associate specialist, 2019-20)
Yingxin Kang (UCB undergraduate student, 2018-19)
Yixin Chen, BS (UCB undergraduate student, 2018-19)
Boyu Pang, BS (UCB undergraduate student, 2017-19)
Yiming Ding (UCB undergraduate student, 2017-18)
Tony Huynh, BS (SRA, 2016-20)
Gengbo Liu, PhD (FIT PhD student, 2016-19)
Arpita Singhal (UCB undergraduate student, 2016-19)
Matthew Zhao, BS (UCB undergraduate student, 2016-19)
Shih-Ying "Clare" Huang, PhD (associate specialist, 2011-18)
Nathaniel Jenkins, MS (UCSF MSBI graduate, 2014-16)
Joon-Young Choi, MD, PhD (visiting scholar, 2015-16)
Srijeeta Bagchi, PhD (associate specialist, 2013-16)
Sang-Keun Woo, PhD (visiting scholar, 2014-15)
Justin Ellin, BS (junior specialist, 2013-15)
Melanie Regan, BS (SRA, 2013-15)
Liza Polyudova (UCB undergraduate student, 2014)
Nicholas Tran, BS (UCSF MSBI student, 2014)
Bess-Carolina Dolmo, PhD (postdoctoral scholar, 2014)
Niraj Amalkanti (UCB undergraduate student, 2013-14)
Shaoji Li (UCB undergraduate student, 2013)
Duy Le (UCB undergraduate student, 2013)
Rupinder Chandi, MS (UCSF MSBI student, 2013)
Madhav Agrawal, BS (UCSF MSBI student, 2013)
Caleb Tam, BS (UCSF MSBI student, 2013)
Jennifer Chunchen Lin, PhD (associate specialist, 2013)
Tzu-Cheng "Efren" Lee, MS (UCSF MSBI student, 2012-13)
Phoebe Lin (UCB undergraduate student, 2012-13 )
Fares Alhassen, PhD (associate specialist, 2009-13)
Jason Bowen, PhD (associate specialist, 2008-12)
Andrew Hernandez, BS (UCB undergraduate student, 2011-12)
Gad Harry (Tuskegee University undergraduate student, 2012)
Henry Hailei Wang (UCB undergaduate student, 2011-12)
Sangtaek Kim, PhD (associate specialist, 2008-11)
George Sayre, PhD (postdoctoral scholar, 2008-11)
Celeste Winant, PhD (associate specialist, 2007-10)
Scott Wilson (UCB undergraduate student, 2011)
Stephanie Taylor, BA (SRA, 2010-13)
Yizhe Yang (UCB undergraduate student, 2010)
Bo Zheng (UCB/UCSF Bioengineering graduate student, 2010)
Hilla Wahnishe, BS (SRA, 2009-10)
Shi Hang Lee (UCB undergraduate student, 2008)
Bret van den Akker (UCB Nuclear Engineering graduate student, 2007-08)
Kestutis Sinkunas (UCB Nuclear Engineering graduate student, 2006-07)

We welcome visitors to our laboratory. Please contact faculty PIs for the opportunity. The list of recent visitors who performed research at our laboratory includes:

Sangho Lee, MS from KAIST (2024-25)
Seo Yun Jang, BS from KAIST (2024)
Gyohyeok Song, MS from KAIST (2024)
Weijie Tao, BS from Shangi Jiao Tong University (2019-20)
Xinwei Li from Shanghai Jiao Tong University (2017)
Joon-Young Choi, MD, PhD from Samsung Medical Center and Sungkyunkwan University (2015-2016)
Sang-Keun Woo, PhD from Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences (2014-2015)
Sihao Zhang from Tsinghua University (2014)
Chang-Lae Lee, BS from Yonsei University in South Korea (2009-2010)
Hyo-Min Cho, MS from Yonsei University in South Korea (2009-2010)
Hee-Joung Kim, PhD from Yonsei University in South Korea (2009-2010)
Juan José Vaquero López, PhD from Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón and Unidad de Medicina y Cirugía Experimental, Madrid, Spain (2009)