Julio Garcia Flores, PhD

PhD Experimental Medicine Laval University, Canada
Postdoctoral Northwestern University, USA
Postdoctoral University of Calgary, Canada

Julio Garcia Flores

Areas of Research

Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance
Cardiovascular disease remains the primary cause of death worldwide accounting for almost 30 % of all deaths combined. Furthermore, cardiovascular disease is significantly impacted by age and sex differences. Women’s heart hemodynamics, particularly, need to be better understood. To lessen the negative impact of cardiovascular disease on the population, there is a desire to develop personalized image technology that uncovers the age and sex hemodynamic differences persistent in the human heart. The purpose my research program is to develop innovative magnetic resonance imaging tools, from acquisition to analysis, providing a better understanding of personalized cardiovascular hemodynamics. This program is designed around three main research axes. Axis #1, optimization of three-dimensional flow imaging sequences using acceleration techniques to reduce acquisition time to within reasonable user standards. Axis #2, development of automated dynamic segmentation of the whole heart and the assessment of advanced blood flow hemodynamic metrics including 3D wall shear stress, energy loss, turbulent kinetic energy and flow patterns. Axis #3, personalized hemodynamic assessment based on age and sex atlases serving as normative reference for identifying altered flow features due to cardiac disease. The proposed program will provide a novel and unique opportunity to investigate personalized hemodynamic alterations of the heart by optimizing image acquisition and analysis. This environment will be fostered by close interaction between our scientific team and the dedicated MRI technologists, research nurses and cardiac imaging clinicians in addition to our established Canadian and international industry partners. This program has the potential to contribute towards improving cardiac magnetic resonance imaging protocols and imaging approaches for cardiovascular disease by lowering the cost of scanning, analysis and promoting cardiac imaging technology innovation in Canada.

Supervising degrees

Biomedical Technology - Masters: Seeking Students
Biomedical Engineering - Doctoral: Seeking Students
Biomedical Engineering - Masters: Seeking Students
Biomedical Engineering - Masters: Seeking Students

Working with this supervisor

Undergraduate, master and PhD students interested in cardiac imaging, image analysis, and fluid mechanics. Strong programming skills, independence, and leadership.

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