My research interests focus on developing and validating computational-experimental approaches for advancing medical imaging techniques to quantify blood perfusion and kinetics of tumors. Vascular characteristics related to nutrient supply, waste clearage, and drug delivery are fundamental to tumor growth and treatment response. Image-based quantification of these vascular characteristics could benefit the sensitivity and specificity of both diagnosis and prognosis, as well as providing additional information to calibrate mathematical models of tumor growth. Currently, we are developing an automated methodology that combines vessel detection with analysis of ultra-fast dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging which integrates both morphological and functional information to identify the location of vascular inputs and outputs of a tumor in 3D. The immediate goal of this project is to assist the diagnosis of breast lesions with vascular metrics associated with malignancy. The project is a collaboration with Drs. Greg Karczmar and Fred Pineda from The University of Chicago.