Dr. Paúl Hernández Herrera

I hold a B. Sc. in Mathematics from the University of Veracruz, Mexico, obtained in 2008 with the thesis Una aplicación de MDL para clasificación de datos utilizando polinomios. In 2015,  I obtained a Ph. D. in Computer Science from the University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA, with the thesis 3D Morphology Extraction of Neurons and specializing in topics such as Machine Learning, Digital Image Processing, Biomedical Image Analysis.

My research's line has focused on the development, modification and application of Machine Learning algorithms to the detection/segmentation of structures in biomedical images. During the doctorate, I developed a computational algorithm for the centerline extraction of tubular objects in 3D images with application to Neuron tracing. The algorithm segment structures using the MESON algorithm which is based on mathematical theory (Fourier space, high-pass, low-pass, and Laplacian filters in Fourier space)  at multiple scales and machine learning algorithm (one-class classification). 

During the last years as a postdoctoral researcher (2015-2022), I have collaborated with researchers from other areas to apply Machine Learning in different projects related to biomedical image analysis. For example, I adapted and improved the algorithm developed during my Ph.D. to extract sperm flagellar motion using 3D images (iterative centerline tracing ).  Our team developed a plugin for ImageJ that manually allows cell tracking in 4D images (LIPLACET manual cell tracking ). Convolutional Neural Networks have become very popular due to their excellent performance in different tasks. In recent years, I have applied convolutional neural networks to different problems with extraordinary results, including the segmentation of tubular structures (sperm flagellum), round structures (sperm head and cell nuclei) and localization of trichomes in Arabidopsis Thaliana leaves.

My research has been published in international journals such as IEEE  Transactions on Medical Imaging ,Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , Journal of Cell Sciences, Plant Physiology  among others and conferences such as ICIAR, ISBI, etc.