Positions

ResearchPositions-Spring2025

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Student / Research Engineer Positions in Biomedical Optical Imaging

A research position for undergraduate/graduate students  and research engineers is available immediately for highly motivated students interested in hardware-driven biomedical imaging. This opportunity is ideal for undergrad/grad students eager to apply FPGA-based data acquisition and electronics to cutting-edge clinical optical imaging. You will join an interdisciplinary team working at the intersection of engineering and medicine to develop next-generation imaging hardware with real-world impact on patient care.

Research Focus: Optical Brain Imaging & Blood Flow Monitoring

In this project, you will help build a state-of-the-art system that uses field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and advanced sensors to monitor blood flow in the brain. For example, we are developing an FPGA-driven device to measure cerebral blood flow in patients with acute brain injury in real time. This system uses noninvasive optical techniques (such as diffuse correlation spectroscopy, DCS) to detect blood flow by analyzing tiny fluctuations in laser light passing through tissue ( Functional Time Domain Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy – PMC ). By leveraging high-speed FPGA processing, our instrument can capture pulsatile blood flow signals at up to 50 frames per second (A Device-on-Chip Solution for Real-Time Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy Using FPGA), providing immediate insight into brain perfusion. Such real-time monitoring of a patient’s blood flow index (BFI) can be a critical addition to vital signs in neuro-intensive care (A Device-on-Chip Solution for Real-Time Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy Using FPGA), potentially improving how doctors manage conditions like stroke or traumatic brain injury.

Hands-On Hardware Experience and Skill Building

You will gain extensive hands-on experience with modern hardware and instrumentation. This includes using FPGA cards, integrating National Instruments data acquisition (NI DAQ) boards, and working with lab equipment like oscilloscopes, pulse generators, and photon counting modules. You will also use all-in-one hardware platforms such as the Liquid Instruments Moku:Go – a portable device that combines over a dozen instruments (oscilloscope, waveform generator, spectrum analyzer, etc.) into a single unit (Moku:Go with 14 Integrated Instruments – Liquid Instruments). ** (Moku:Go with 14 Integrated Instruments – Liquid Instruments)** A student researcher uses a Moku:Go portable instrument to analyze signals via an oscilloscope interface. Hands-on experiments with modern hardware tools like this are a core part of the experience, allowing you to design, test, and iterate quickly on real hardware. You will become comfortable in optical and hardware setups, gaining practical skills that go far beyond textbook knowledge.

You will learn to program FPGAs (e.g. using Moku, VHDL or LabVIEW FPGA) and interface them with optical sensors. This experience will develop your skills in embedded systems, signal processing, and instrument control. Moreover, the project provides an ideal environment to build a diverse technical skillset – from optical setup and data acquisition to software integration (using tools like LabVIEW and MATLAB). These experiences will prepare you for a career in biomedical R&D or future graduate studies.

 Collaborative and Interdisciplinary Environment

Our lab, the Biomedical Optical Imaging Laboratory (BOIL), provides a technically inspiring and collaborative environment. We are part of Stony Brook’s Biomedical Engineering department and work closely with the Stony Brook University Hospital and nearby research centers. You will work side-by-side with experts in engineering, neuroscience, and medicine. Regular interactions with clinicians and scientists will expose you to both basic laboratory research and translational clinical applications. For instance, you might collaborate with neurologists in monitoring patients, or with physicists to refine optical measurement techniques. Our location on campus allows seamless collaboration with the medical center and even partners in New York City, so you can witness how engineering innovations move from bench to bedside. This interdisciplinary exposure will deepen your understanding of biomedical optics and highlight the real-world impact of your work on patient health.

 Real-World Impact in Medical Imaging

This research has a clear real-world impact. By developing faster and more portable hardware for optical brain imaging, we aim to improve how critical health information is gathered at the patient’s bedside. Noninvasive optical monitoring can complement traditional imaging and vital signs by providing continuous feedback on blood flow and tissue health. It achieves this without the need for invasive probes or bulky equipment (BOIL – Biomedical Optical Imaging Lab).

Your contributions will help advance technologies that could, for example, alert doctors to changes in a brain injury patient’s blood flow in real time, enabling quicker interventions. Beyond neuro-monitoring, the skills and techniques you develop could be applied to other biomedical imaging challenges. For instance, the same optical hardware might be used for functional brain mapping in cognitive neuroscience or to monitor blood flow during surgeries and in rehabilitation therapy. You will be part of a mission to bridge engineering and medicine, building devices that directly benefit patient care and pushing the frontiers of biomedical imaging technology.

 Who Should Apply

We are looking for enthusiastic students in Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or related fields. If you are passionate about working on imaging hardware and eager to learn, we want to hear from you! Prior experience in any of the following areas is a plus:

  • Electronics & Signal Processing Hardware: e.g. analog/digital circuit design, use of ADC/DAC converters, and digital signal processing.
  • Instrumentation & Data Acquisition: e.g. working with NI LabVIEW/DAQ systems, oscilloscopes, FPGA programming, microcontrollers, or related hardware control.
  • Optical Systems & Imaging: e.g., experience with lasers/LEDs, photodetectors (APDs, photomultipliers), optical fibers, cameras, or techniques like functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS), or speckle imaging.
  • Programming & Data Analysis: e.g. proficiency in MATLAB (for signal/image processing) or Python/C++ for instrument control and data analysis.

Above all, candidates should have a strong interest in building and experimenting with hardware for biomedical applications and be excited to work in a team that values curiosity, innovation, and cross-disciplinary learning. This position will allow you to strengthen your technical portfolio while contributing to research that truly matters.

 How to Apply

Please prepare a CV and a brief cover letter highlighting your background and interest in the project. You may send these materials or any inquiries to Dr. Ulas Sunar (SUNY Empire Innovation Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering) at Stony Brook University via email at ulas.sunar@stonybrook.edu. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the position is available to start immediately.

 Postdoc, Research Engineer, and Graduate Student Research Positions are Available !!!

There are several research positions. We focus on non-invasive, quantitative functional, and molecular optical imaging techniques for neuromonitoring, cancer imaging, and therapy monitoring, as well as for monitoring engineered 3D tissue constructs for regenerative medicine, drug delivery, and neural systems in preclinical and clinical settings. The position offers a stimulating work environment integrating engineering and physics with medicine, neuroscience, and biology. The candidate will have a unique opportunity in both basic lab and translational research by collaborating with scientists and clinicians located close to the common infrastructure and collaborative institutes, including Medical and Research Centers on the Stony Brook campus and nearby New York City.

Sample Publications:
https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=q4FqPgYAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate

Functional Brain Imaging:
https://doi.org/10.1364/BOE.448135
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/8/1093
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jbio.201700165/abstract
https://www.osapublishing.org/boe/abstract.cfm?uri=boe-7-10-3871

Cancer Imaging and Therapy:
Nature Scientific Reports: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-15790-y

Molecular and Functional Mesoscopic Imaging:
https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2546110
https://opg.optica.org/boe/fulltext.cfm?uri=boe-8-6-3045&id=366998

Photoacoustic Imaging of Microvasculature:
https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/3/3/48

 Qualifications: The qualified candidates should be highly motivated and enthusiastic with interests in optical imaging, biophotonics, and photoacoustic imaging. A strong background in one of the following fields is needed: Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Physics, Computer Science or related fields. At least one of the following skills is preferred.

  • Experience in optical, optomechanical, electro-optic systems, CCD cameras, LEDs, lasers, structured light illumination, spatial light modulators (DMD), and digital light projection (DLP).
  • Experience in hardware control and signal acquisition using NI DAQ card, NI LabView, correlator board, photon counter and timer board, and FPGA.
  • Experience in EE, ME, BME, Physics concepts (digital signal processing, EM waves, ADC, and DAC).
  • Experience in (tissue) optics, biomedical optics, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (FNIRS), EEG, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, diffuse correlation spectroscopy, speckle imaging, diffuse optical tomography, endoscopy, microscopy.
  • Experience in Mechatronics, Robotics, Rehabilitation, Dynamics, Measurement and Control, Machine Intelligence, Human-Computer Interface
  • Experience with Photoacoustic/US imaging.
  • Strong programming skills with MATLAB for signal/image processing.
  • Strong experience in deep learning, machine learning, compressed sensing.

To Apply:  Please email your CV and cover letter describing your background to:
Ulas Sunar, Ph.D.
SUNY Empire Innovation Associate Professor
Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University
https://you.stonybrook.edu/boil/
ulas.sunar@stonybrook.edu

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