Faculty and Staff
Faculty
Senior Scientists and Post-Doctoral Fellows
Email: padany@kumc.edu
Senior Scientist, Metabolic Imaging
913-588-9070
Dr. Adany received his PhD of Electrical Engineering from the University of Kansas in 2012. His doctoral research focused on development of biomedical imaging techniques for nonlinear optical spectroscopy. Dr. Adany joined Hoglund Biomedical Imaging Center in 2012 as a Postdoctoral Fellow. His research interests center on developing new signal processing strategies for magnetic resonance spectroscopy/imaging (MRS/MRI). The aim of his research is to develop innovative signal processing techniques that will allow quantitative measurement of tissue-specific brain metabolism and physiological processes in the living human brain to advance our understanding of disease processes and the efficacy of treatments.
Email: dchristifano@kumc.edu
Senior Scientist, Neurophysiology Core
913-588-9080
Dr. Christifano received her Ph.D. in Medical Nutrition Sciences from the University of Kansas Medical Center in 2014. Her doctoral research focused on metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and sedentary behavior among overweight and obese breast cancer survivors. She holds a bachelor's of science degree in biomedical sciences from Marquette University and a Master's degree in dietetics and nutrition from the University of Kansas Medical Center. Her research interests include weight management, insulin resistance, and the effects of DHA supplementation during pregnancy on infant neuro-developmental outcomes. She is currently working closely with Dr. Gustafson on a large federally funded prenatal DHA supplementation trial (PANDA[WU1] ; NCT02709239). In her spare time she enjoys yoga, gardening and cooking.
Email: rlepping@kumc.edu
Senior Scientist, 3T MRI Core
913-588-0287
Dr. Lepping received her doctoral degree in cognitive psychology at the University of Kansas in 2013, and was a graduate research assistant at the Center for Health Behavior Neuroscience at KUMC. She holds a Master of Arts degree in psychology of music (2004) from the University of Sheffield in Sheffield, England, and a Master of Arts degree in piano performance (2008) from the University of Missouri - Kansas City Conservatory of Music. During her research career, she has been involved in a variety of neuroimaging studies of obesity, traumatic brain injury, and memory in aging musicians. Her dissertation work used music as an affective probe to study the neural basis of emotion processing in depression and other psychiatric disorders. She uses both fMRI and ERP methodologies in her research in affective neuroscience, studying emotion by examining the cognitive and affective etiology and symptomatology of depression. She is currently exploring additional neuroimaging and data analytic techniques, including arterial spin labeling (ASL), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and brain morphometry (VBM).
Email: kliao@kumc.edu
Senior Scientist, Neurophysiology Core
913-588-4373
Dr. Liao received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Sichuan University, China in 2006. His PhD dissertation research work was supported by the Chinese National Science Foundation. After that, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher in Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing. Before joining Hoglund Biomedical Imaging Center KUMC in 2012, he finished his postdoctoral research work at University of Oklahoma in computational neuroscience. He is membership of Chinese Association for System Simulation and IEEE. The focuses of his research are on the design of novel cortical source reconstruction algorithms for MEG/EEG inverse problems and the design of human-brain interface. He is currently working on the event-related potentials (ERP) responses of children with different levels of nutrition.
Research Support personnel
Email: mbrucks@kumc.edu
Research Assistant, Structure and Function Unit
913-588-9070
Morgan received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a concentration in Research from Avila University in May 2014. She spent four years in Avila's Neuropsychology lab, focusing on Public Speaking Anxiety and neurofeedback. Morgan joined HBIC in January 2014. She is responsible for assisting both Dr. Martin and Dr. Harris in their respective labs. Some of her duties include: recruitment, scheduling participants, scanning via 3T and 9.4T, collecting behavioral data, and analyzing data.
Email: fhunsinger@kumc.edu
Senior Magnetic Resonance Technologist/Laboratory Director
913-588-9090
Frank graduated from the U.S. Army's X-Ray School in 1991, were he spent 16 years working for an Orthopaedic group doing X-rays and MRIs. He spent the last three years working for mobile MRI companies performing MRIs for the military and a veteran’s hospital. Frank is affiliated with ARRT and ASRT. He joined HBIC in 2010 and is currently involved in research MRI scans.
Email: vpapa@kumc.edu
Senior Research Associate, 3T MRI Core Project Manager
913-945-6003
Vlad received his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Kansas in December 2010. He focused on brain function and behavior and was the first Undergraduate Research Assistant to complete the entire process of creating a study through data analysis at Hoglund. Vlad joined HBIC in January 2011. He is responsible for assisting Dr. Martin with tasks involving her research: such as programming, recruiting participants, and analyzing data.
Administrative Personnel
Email: jkarungi@kumc.edu
Administrative Director
913-588-9067
Justine received a Bachelors degree in Statistics and Quantitative Economics and has an MBA in Healthcare Administration from Avila University, Kansas City, Missouri. Justine combines her business and administrative skills with her passion for biomedical research. At HBIC, her responsibilities include strategic planning of the Imaging Center, overseeing resource management, as well as directing the day-to-day business operations of the Center. She is happy to be able to use those skills in support of research that will improve healthcare care and quality of life for many people now and in the future.
She is an ardent supporter of professional development and life-long learning and is very passionate about advancing the work of Research Core Facilities. She is focused on using business tools, such as the balanced score card and the Baldrige Model of Excellence to help core facility leaders and managers in strategic planning, streamlining operations and creating efficiencies. Justine is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and is a Board Member of its Kansas Chapter, the Kansas Association of Healthcare Executives (KAHCE). She is also involved in several institutional and professional leadership and service activities, including serving on the Core Administrators Network Coordinating Committee (CAN-CC) of the Association of Biomolecular Research Facilities (ABRF), the Education and mentoring committees for the ACHE (KAHCE) and the National Council for University Research Administrators (NCURA). She previously served as Vice Chair for KUMC's School of Medicine Administrators' committee.
Email: mthorp@kumc.edu
Administrative Assistant
913-588-9070
Melinda earned her Bachelor's degree in Behavioral Science, with an emphasis in Psychology from Sterling College in 2005 and her Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Counseling from Mid-America Nazarene University in 2014 and holds a Professional Counselor License in the State of Kansas. She joined HBIC in 2009 and currently works as an Administrative Assistant where she assists with the Center’s various administrative functions, including general office administration, processing purchasing requisitions, faculty and staff travel and reimbursements.