People

Alex (Zheng) Han, PhD

Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering at University of Central Oklahoma

Email: zhan1@uco.edu

EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2024- presentAssistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering University of Central Oklahoma
2022- 2023Manager and Data Scientist of Institute for Predictive Medicine, Center for Health Systems Innovation, Spears School of Business, Oklahoma State University
2021-2022Instructor, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Department of Surgery, Stephenson Cancer Center
2019-2021Research Associate (Faculty level), Johns Hopkins University Department of Radiology
2020-2023Online Master, Computer Science Georgia Institute of Technology
2017-2019   Postdoctoral fellow, Johns Hopkins University Department of Radiology
2011-2017Ph.D, Case Western Reserve University Department of Biomedical Engineering
2007-2011B.S., Tianjin University, Department of Chemical Engineering                                 

RESEARCH INTEREST

My research goal is to leverage the state-of-the-art translational artificial intelligence (AI) and engineering approaches to develop the next generation imaging probes, imaging mechanisms, and image-guided drug/gene delivery systems for elucidating, detecting, and quantifying the functional and pathological alterations on the cellular and molecular levels in diseases, particularly cancer, to improve precision medicine of conventional and new treatment strategies. Namely, my current research focuses on

  1. Develop AI-based tools for image reconstruction, segmentation, generation, and computer-aided diagnosis that facilitate cancer diagnosis
  2. Developing deep learning (DL) and MR fingerprinting (MRF) methods for improving the precision of photoacoustic and MR molecular imaging , e.g. to increase imaging depth of photoacoustic imaging and accurate quantification of metabolites by MRI.
  3. Deployment of AI tools to extract clinically relevant information from electronic health data (EHR) to facilitate prediction of post-traumatic epilepsy.
  4. Design, synthesis, and application of imaging-traceable novel small, macromolecular, and nanoparticle drug/gene delivery systems
  5. . Apply CEST MRI and other labeling techniques to image otherwise non-traceable biomolecules and metabolic processes .