Rao P. Gullapalli, PhD, MBA

Osmania University, Hyderabad, India, Chemical Engineering, B.Tech., 1981
Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India, Post-Graduate Minerals Engineering Diploma, 1982
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Chemical Engineering, M.S., 1986
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Instrumental Sciences, Ph.D., 1991
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, M.B.A., 2000

I have a broad background in medical imaging with specific training and expertise in developing novel magnetic resonance (MR) imaging techniques for clinical research. I worked for a leading medical imaging company translating research into mainstream products. My academic career involves studying longitudinal changes in structure and function following brain injury and developing image-guided interventional techniques.  My lab has been focused on developing new imaging biomarkers associated with traumatic brain injury and utilizing multi-parametric imaging for improving the sensitivity and specificity of injury detection.  Our recent development of diffusion kurtosis imaging for the detection of microstructural changes and neuro-inflammation, and brain network changes using resting state and task related functional MR have been exceedingly well received and are being translated to the clinic.  I am also involved in the development of novel MR guided neuro-interventions and provide augmented reailty solutions within the MR imaging environment.  

MRI, traumatic brain injury, image-guided interventions, imaging biomarkers, diffusion kurtosis imaging, focused ultrasound

1.            Stokum JA, Sours C, Zhuo J, Kane R, Shanmuganathan K, Gullapalli RP. A longitudinal evaluation of diffusion kurtosis imaging in patients with mild traumatic brain injury. Brain Inj. 2015;29(1):47–57.

2.            Sours C, Alon G, Roys S, Gullapalli RP. Modulation of resting state functional connectivity of the motor network by transcranial pulsed current stimulation. Brain Connect. 2014 Apr;4(3):157–65.

3.            George EO, Roys S, Sours C, Rosenberg J, Zhuo J, Shanmuganathan K, et al. Longitudinal and prognostic evaluation of mild traumatic brain injury: A. J Neurotrauma. 2014 Jun 1;31(11):1018–28.

4.            Alon G, Roys SR, Gullapalli RP, Greenspan JD. Non-invasive electrical stimulation of the brain (ESB) modifies the resting-state network connectivity of the primary motor cortex: a proof of concept fMRI study. Brain Res. 2011 Jul 27;1403:37–44.

5.            Tan U-X, Yang B, Gullapalli R, Desai JP. Tri-Axial MRI Compatible Fiber-optic Force Sensor. IEEE Trans Robot Publ IEEE Robot Autom Soc. 2011 Feb 1;27(1):65–74.

6.            Zarabi B, Borgman MP, Zhuo J, Gullapalli R, Ghandehari H. Noninvasive monitoring of HPMA copolymer-RGDfK conjugates by magnetic resonance imaging. Pharm Res. 2009 May;26(5):1121–9.

7.            Zarabi B, Nan A, Zhuo J, Gullapalli R, Ghandehari H. HPMA copolymer-doxorubicin-gadolinium conjugates: synthesis, characterization, and in vitro evaluation. Macromol Biosci. 2008 Aug 11;8(8):741–8.

8.            Collins MJ, Ozeki T, Zhuo J, Gu J, Gullapalli R, Pierson RN, et al. Use of diffusion tensor imaging to predict myocardial viability after warm global ischemia: possible avenue for use of non-beating donor hearts. J Heart Lung Transplant Off Publ Int Soc Heart Transplant. 2007 Apr;26(4):376–83.

9.            Shanmuganathan K, Gullapalli RP, Mirvis SE, Roys S, Murthy P. Whole-brain apparent diffusion coefficient in traumatic brain injury: correlation with Glasgow Coma Scale score. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2004 Apr;25(4):539–44.

10.          Smith GV, Alon G, Roys SR, Gullapalli RP. Functional MRI determination of a dose-response relationship to lower extremity neuromuscular electrical stimulation in healthy subjects. Exp Brain Res. 2003 May;150(1):33–9.