David Busch

Dr. David Busch is an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW), holding appointments in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management (primary), and secondary appointments in Neurology and Biomedical Engineering. He is a member of the Biomedical Engineering and Neuroscience Graduate Programs.

Dr. Busch earned his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Pennsylvania in 2011 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Neurology at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. He joined UTSW in 2018 and leads the Busch Lab, which develops non-invasive and minimally invasive optical tools for monitoring cerebral and spinal cord hemodynamics in critical care settings.

His research focuses on translating physical science techniques into clinical applications, particularly for patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), neonates with congenital heart disease, and stroke patients. He employs diffuse optical spectroscopy, diffuse correlation spectroscopy, and multimodal neuromonitoring to assess cerebral blood flow, oxygenation, autoregulation, and metabolism. His work bridges physics, engineering, and clinical medicine, with strong applications in neurocritical care and pediatric intensive care.

Dr. Busch's recent publications (2022–2025) show a strong trend in advancing non-invasive optical monitoring for pediatric and adult ECMO, placental health, spinal cord ischemia, and cancer therapy response. The articles span high-impact journals in neurology, critical care, biomedical optics, and imaging, reflecting interdisciplinary innovation and clinical translation.

• Fulbright Commission
• Institute of International Education Whitaker Fellowship
• Thrasher Research Foundation
• Hartwell Foundation

Dr. Busch has been funded by NIH-NINDS, NIH-NIBIB, the McDermott Chair at UTSW, and the Women's Auxiliary (Children's Medical Center Foundation). He mentors a diverse team of postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and medical students. His lab collaborates with institutions including Children’s Health Center, University of Kentucky, NYMC, and University of Rochester. He advises on projects related to cerebral autoregulation, spinal cord monitoring, and microvascular dysfunction in critical illness.

Dr. Busch leads the Busch Lab, which is dedicated to developing and validating optical technologies for continuous, bedside monitoring of brain and spinal cord health. The lab focuses on improving patient outcomes through real-time neuromonitoring in intensive care and operating room settings.