Sumana Chetia

Dr. Sumana Chetia is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO), specializing in Medical Optics. She holds a PhD in Photonics from Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (Spain). Her research focuses on developing advanced optical techniques for neuroimaging, particularly in neurovascular coupling and cerebral blood flow dynamics. She has contributed to the design of compact, multi-modal systems like speckle contrast optical tomography (SCOT) and spectroscopy (SCOS), aiming to improve clinical diagnostics and critical care monitoring.

Her work integrates photonics with electrophysiology to study brain activity, emphasizing data-driven models of hemodynamic responses during cortical slow-wave activity. Key achievements include anatomical modeling for SCOT systems, high-density fiber-based neuroimaging arrays, and algorithms optimizing optical tomography without complex matrix inversions.

Chetia's publications highlight innovations in speckle statistics analysis, detector noise simulation, and clinical feasibility studies for multi-mode fiber-based systems. She has validated workflows for diffuse speckle measurements and explored the spatiotemporal links between electrical brain signals and blood flow changes. Her research bridges fundamental optics with translational biomedical applications, advancing non-invasive neuroimaging technologies.

Though no formal awards are noted, her contributions to optical neuroimaging methodologies reflect significant technical and methodological advancements in the field.