Funding

Memphis–Mississippi Applied Artificial Intelligence Research (M2AIR) Program

Title: Integration of Computer Vision and Diffusion-Based Generative Models for Non-Invasive Thermometry in Thermal Therapies 

Award Period: 2026-2027

Award Amount: $10,000

Role: Co-PI

Goal: Develop a non-invasive thermometry method for thermal therapy that uses a combination of computer vision and diffusion-based generative models to estimate internal tissue temperature with minimal temperature input from the surface of the skin.

Herff College of Engineering Undergraduate Research Engagement Program (UREP)

Title: Beyond Animal Models: Undergraduate-Led Research Program to Develop Thermally-Realistic Tissue Phantoms

Award Period: 2026-2027

Award Amount: $14,400

Role: PI

Description: Create an undergraduate-led research program that focuses on the development of thermally realistic tissue phantoms for thermal therapy device testing.

Community of Research Scholars (CoRS)

Title: Creating physics-informed active deep learning to improve medical image segmentation for thermal therapies

Award Period: 2026-2028

Award Amount: $2,500

Role: Co-PI

Description: Brainstorm strategies to incorporate thermodynamic and physical principles in the segmentation process, to create models that mimic patient-specific thermal properties, and secure external funding in this field to ensure research continuity.