Ormond, D. Ryan – Assistant Professor

 Key areas of focus: tumor, neuroimaging, ischemic injury

Dr. Ormond has two laboratories. 

Brain Tumor Imaging Laboratory:

In the treatment of brain tumors, surgical intervention remains a common and effective therapeutic option. Recent advances in neuroimaging have provided neurosurgeons with new tools to overcome the challenge of differentiating healthy tissue from tumor-infiltrated tissue, with the aim of increasing the likelihood of maximizing the extent of resection volume while minimizing injury to functionally important regions. Additional new technologies are in 

development to improve the safety and efficacy of noninvasive imaging in brain tumor. Our laboratory investigates novel applications of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), DTI-derived tractography (DDT) and machine learning methods to improve the noninvasive imaging in the management of brain tumor patients. 

Regenerative Neurobiology Laboratory:

Stroke and cardiac arrest-induced cerebral ischemia is a major cause of death and disability. The disruption of blood flow results in neuronal and glial cell death leading to brain injury. Reperfusion restores oxygen to the affected tissue, but can also cause damage through an enhanced oxidative stress and inflammatory response. Our laboratory studies the use of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation after ischemic injury in the brain. Specifically, current projects include the study of intercellular mitochondrial transfer from MSC to neurons and the role this plays in neuronal preservation after oxidant injury. With a deeper understanding of the mechanisms controlling intercellular mitochondrial transfer, among other mechanisms of action of MSC, it may be feasible to further improve functional outcomes after cerebral ischemia.

 

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