Lirong Yan

Dr. Lirong Yan is a tenured Associate Professor at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine and McCormick School of Engineering. She specializes in developing MRI techniques for cerebrovascular and perfusion imaging, particularly arterial spin labeling (ASL) and 4D MRA. Her research focuses on translating innovations into clinical applications for stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and neurodegenerative conditions. She directs the Neurovascular Imaging Technology and Translation (NITT) lab, emphasizing non-invasive diagnostic tools and imaging biomarkers.

Education: PhD in Biophysics from Chinese Academy of Sciences (2010), Postdoc at UCLA (2013). Professional roles include leadership in ISMRM and American Society of Neuroradiology.

Research interests span MRI sequence development, fast imaging, and clinical translation. Key areas include cerebral vascular disease, neurovascular coupling, and aging-related vascular changes. Awards include Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles Young Investigator Award (2018) and multiple ISMRM accolades.

Active clinical trials investigate cerebrovascular dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases, using MRI to assess collateral flow and microvascular health. Her work bridges basic science and clinical practice, advancing early detection and treatment monitoring strategies.