Hamid Dehghani

Professor

Prof. Dehghani is interested in a number of multi and cross disciplinary projects working on the development of physical and computational sciences as applied to medical imaging. His research ranges from development of diffuse optical techniques, to computational tools assisting image-guided interventions.

Rickson Mesquita

Associate Professor

Dr. Mesquita is interested in developing and combining instrumentation, computational methods, and biophysical modeling to study brain function, with a particular emphasis on diffuse optics. His research covers a broad spectrum of applications, from fundamental aspects of neurovascular coupling to the clinical translation of these innovative methodologies.

Felipe Orihuela-Espina

Associate Professor

Dr. Orihuela-Espina’s research interest is in fNIRS data analysis and interpretation of neuroimages. This involves multidisciplinary research from computing, mathematics, and statistics, as well as notions of physics (optics) and neuroscience. He is interested in applying these neuroimaging analysis skills to different topics, including neurorehabilitation.

Samuel Montero-Hernandez

Assistant Professor

Dr. Montero-Hernandez’s work primarily involves the development and application of computational models for causal discovery algorithms, brain connectivity methods using fNIRS data, and quality control of fNIRS signals. Recently, his investigation has found practical applications in resting-state data analysis and pain management investigations.

Robin Dale

PhD Candidate

Robin is a final-year PhD student focusing on deep-learning techniques for diffuse optical imaging, including real-time imaging tools for high-speed, non-invasive breast cancer monitoring and work in cognitive neuroscience. In his spare time Robin is a professional juggler, and writes and performs live theatre shows about science and philosophy.

Ben Fry

PhD Student

Ben is a PhD student studying the instrumentation and data analysis algorithms for diffuse correlation spectroscopy and diffuse optical spectroscopy. With a background in mathematics and artificial intelligence, he is interested in machine learning to improve optical parameters recovery from DCS and DOS boundary data.

Fatima Zahra Al Hajji

PhD Student

Fatima Zahra is a PhD student at the University of Birmingham with a background in Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science. She is currently working on building explainable, multimodal biomarkers using MRI, speech/language, and fNIRS to detect early neurodegeneration. Outside of work, Fatima enjoys reading, running, and badminton.

Maisie Sanderson

PhD Student

Maisie is a PhD student focusing on the use of TD-fNIRS to study brain function and neuroplasticity. She completed her MSci in Physics at the University of Glasgow in 2025, with a dissertation on brain tumour imaging using diffuse optical imaging techniques. Her research interests lie at the intersection of computational modelling and optical neuroimaging.

Manraaj Singh

PhD Student

Manraaj is a PhD Student whose work focuses on utilising the inherent properties of multi-frequency FD fNIRS for absolute quantification of tissue oxygenation. He completed his BEng (Hons) in Electronic Engineering at Birmingham City University in 2025, where for his dissertation project, he developed an AI powered mobile phone application for the early detection of Alzheimer’s Disease. Outside of university, Manraaj supports Arsenal Football Club and enjoys learning Sikh classical music.

Robert Ward

PhD Candidate

Rob enjoys cross-disciplinary science and finding general solutions that emerge from specific cases. With a physics background, he has worked on broadband NIRS systems and the limitations faced in scalability, and has recently been working on sampling design and optimization over non-typical spaces. Outside of university, Rob enjoys playing in brass bands.

Biao (Rino) Zheng

PhD Candidate

Biao (Rino) is interested in Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) and neuroimaging. He focuses on combining Magnetoencephalography (MEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) data for improving the localization of neuron activities. He also enjoys playing piano and occasional concerts outside of work.

Yaru Zhou

PhD Student

Yaru is a PhD student with a background in mathematics and artificial intelligence. Her research focuses on developing causal discovery methods for effective brain connectivity analysis using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). She also has broader interests in computational neuroscience, causality, and AI for biomedical challenges.

Jesus Escalona Navarro

Visiting Research Scholar

Jesus is a visiting PhD student, originally from Chemnitz University of Technology, Germany. His research uses fNIRS alongside measures of postural control to study how the ageing brain copes with balance and dual-task demands, with a focus on healthy older adults and people with mild cognitive impairment. He is especially interested in how dual-tasks interventions can help prevent age-related cognitive and motor decline. Outside of work, Jesus loves to travel and discover new places around the world.

M. Juliana Gutierrez Camperos

Visiting Research Scholar

Juliana is a visiting MSc student, originally from Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Brazil. She has a background on Neuroscience, and her work focuses on the sciences of human development, with a particular interest on inter-brain connectivity between mother and infant dyads during social touch.

Hu Zhang

Visiting Research Scholar

Hu is a visiting PhD student developing deep-learning and generative-AI approaches to improve the accuracy of high-density diffuse optical tomography (HD-DOT). He contributes to the human brain retinotopic task within the NINDS-funded project U24NS136402, and has built an end-to-end fMRI–fNIRS domain-transfer pipeline. In his free time, he enjoys cooking and watching movies.