David Boas

David Boas, PhD is a Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Electrical & Computer Engineering at Boston University's College of Engineering, and Director of the Neurophotonics Center. His work focuses on developing optical methods for studying brain function and physiology, with applications in neurovascular coupling, cerebral microvasculature, and neurodegenerative diseases. He leads the Bio Optical & Acoustic Spectroscopy Lab and co-founded the Neurophotonics Center to advance neurophotonics technologies.

• Education: PhD in Physics from University of Pennsylvania; B.S. in Physics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Research interests include neurophotonics, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and oxygen metabolism modeling. His lab develops cutting-edge imaging techniques like speckle contrast optical spectroscopy and ninjaNIRS wearable systems. Over 150 publications demonstrate contributions to cerebral blood flow measurement, stroke recovery mechanisms, and pediatric brain studies. Key innovations include the Homer data analysis software and the NIH-funded fNIRS Ecosystem for open-source hardware/software dissemination.

Recent articles (2023-2025) highlight advancements in capillary flow dynamics analysis, multimodal neuroimaging integration, and clinical applications in stroke and neurodegeneration. Awards include the Arthur G. B. Metcalf Chair (2022), OSA/SPIE/AIMBE Fellowships, and Britton Chance Award (2016).

• Labs: Neurophotonics Center, Bio Optical & Acoustic Spectroscopy Lab
• Grants: NIH R24 for fNIRS ecosystem development