Welcome@myportfolio:~$ █
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My Projects
I have worked on a range of projects in ultra-high-field MRI, including radiofrequency probe development, ultra-high-resolution MR microscopy, high-spatial-resolution relaxometry, diffusion MRI, advanced acceleration methods (particularly compressed sensing), and the design and development of custom pulse sequences.
T1 and M0 measurements of tissues 15 μm.
MR Microscopy of mouse spinal cord at 15.2 Tesla
High-Resolution MR Microscopy of Mouse Spinal Cord at 15.2 Tesla
Resume
Bibek Dhakal
Education
Physics, Ph.D.
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
August 2021 - July 2026 (Expected) | GPA: 3.9
Research: High-field MRI (15.2 T), advanced coil design, multi-parametric imaging (T1, T2, diffusion, quantitative magnetization transfer)
Advisor: Prof. John C. Gore
Physics, MS
Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, USA
2019 - August 2021 | GPA: 3.9
Research: Analyzing chemically induced autofluorescence under high hydrostatic pressure (~300 atm)
Advisor: Prof. Paul K. Urayama
Physics, BSc
St. Xavier's College (Tribhuvan University), Kathmandu, Nepal
August 2014 - August 2018
Thesis: First-principles Study of van der Waals Interactions Between Halogen Molecules (F2 and Br2)
Advisor: Prof. Nurapati Pantha
Relevant Skills
Biomedical & R&D
- High-field MRI (15.2 T)
- Room temperature and cryo-cooled RF coil design/fabrication
- Advanced pulse sequences (Gradient Recalled Echo (FLASH), Pulsed Gradient Spin Echo (PGSE) and Oscillating Gradient Spin Echo (OGSE) diffusion pulse sequences)
- Spinal cord injury research
- Multi-parametric analysis (T1, T2, diffusion, quantitative magnetization transfer (qMT))
Data Analytics & Computational
- Programming: MATLAB, and Python for data modeling, visualization, and pipeline automation
- Data Processing/Analysis: Image reconstruction, statistical modeling, 3D data visualization
- Simulation/Modeling: Ansys HFSS (RF coil modeling)
Lab & Technical
- MRI systems (Avance III Bruker, BioSpin ParaVision)
- 3D printing (SolidWorks, FormLab, J35, Creality)
- Experimental design, hardware prototyping, advanced instrumentation
Soft Skills
- Cross-functional teamwork
- Presenting complex data
- Technical documentation
- Problem-solving
Research Experience
Ph.D. Research
Graduate Research Assistant | Gore Lab, Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science (VUIIS), Vanderbilt University Medical Center
August 2022 - Present
- Developed novel room temperature and cryogenic radiofrequency (RF) probes for ultra-high-resolution MRI at 15.2 T, achieving ~15 micrometer spatial resolution.
Master's Research
Urayama Cellular Biophysics Lab, Department of Physics, Miami University
August 2019 - July 2021
- Measured the spin-lattice exchange (T1) and proton density (Mo) at ultra-high resolution (15 micrometer spatial resolution) using Magnetic Resonance Microscopy.
- Acquired ultra-high-resolution T1-weight and diffusion-weighted imaging of ex vivo tissues.
- Applied multi-parametric imaging techniques such as T1, T2, diffusion, and quantitative magnetization transfer (qMT) to study spinal cord injury in rats at high spatial resolution.
Undergraduate Research
Department of Physics, St. Xavier's College (Tribhuvan University)
August 2017 - August 2018
- Conducted density functional theory (DFT) calculations using Quantum ESPRESSO to explore van der Waals interactions between halogen molecules.
Publications
Dhakal, B.; Hardy, B.M.; Anderson, A.W.; Does, M.D.; Xu, J.; Gore, J.C. Technical developments for high resolution magnetic resonance microscopy in a horizontal bore magnet. 10 May 2025, PREPRINT (Version 1) available at Research Square https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6550180/v1
Friesen, E.; Chisholm M.; Dhakal, B.; Mercredi, M., Does, M.D.; Gore, J.C.; Martin, M. Modelling white matter microstructure using diffusion OGSE MRI: Model and analysis choices. MRI 2024, 113, 110221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mri.2024.110221
Hardy, B.M.; Drake, G.; Chai, S.; Dhakal, B.; Martin, J.B.; Xu, J., Does, M.D.; Anderson, A.W.; Yan, X.; Gore, J.C. A Cryogenic Tune and Match Circuit for Magnetic Resonance Microscopy at 15.2 T. JMRO 2024, 18, 100147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmro.2024.100147
Hardy, B.M.; Zhu, Y.; Harkins, K.D.; Dhakal, B.; Martin, J.B.; Xie, J.; Does, M.D.; Anderson, A.W.; Gore, J.C. Experimental Demonstration of Diffusion Limitations on Resolution and SNR in MR Microscopy. JMR 2023, 352, 107479. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmr.2023.107479
Selected Conferences
2024 International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine Annual Meeting 2024, Singapore
- Power pitch presentation: High-resolution MR Microscopy of mouse spinal cord at 15.2 Tesla.
Awards & Affiliations
- 2020-2021 Outstanding Graduate Student Researcher, Department of Physics, Miami University
- 2020-2021 Outstanding AAPT Graduate Student Teacher, Department of Physics, Miami University
- Trainee Member, International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM), 2021 - Present
- Student Member, Biophysical Society (BPS), 2020 - 2021
Teaching Experience
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Department of Physics & Astronomy, Vanderbilt University
August 2021 - July 2022
Instructed introductory lab courses for undergraduate students and performed grading of the lab notebooks and examinations.
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Department of Physics, Miami University
August 2019 - May 2021
Instructed introductory physics lab courses for physics and non-physics major undergraduate students.
References
Available upon request.
About Me
I am broadly interested in using physics, engineering, and computation to address biological questions. My work focuses on advancing high-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods to enable ultra-high-resolution, quantitative imaging of biological tissues. In particular, I develop and optimize radiofrequency (RF) coils for MR microscopy at 15 Tesla, implement advanced pulse sequences (T1, T2, diffusion, qMT), investigate novel strategies for quantifying tissue microstructure, and image processing. These efforts are especially relevant to spinal cord injury and neuroimaging, where improved resolution and sensitivity can resolve microstructural changes. Additionally, I seek to integrate hardware innovations with computational modeling to push the boundaries of MRI performance and translate new imaging capabilities to broader neuroscience and biomedical research applications.