Garcia Lab

Mapping trajectories of cortical growth and degeneration

Using novel, physics-based approaches to analyze human MRI datasets, we have mapped the spatial patterns of cortical growth during development of preterm infants, human fetuses, and in children up to age 10. Recent work has applied the same methods to map patterns of cortical atrophy in Alzheimer’s disease and normal aging. 

Mechanics of Brain Folding in Human Infants Evaluated Using MRI  
NIH R01 NS133116 (PI: Garcia)
The goal of this project is to understand how trajectories and patterns of cortical growth observed in human brain development contribute to cortical folding and connectivity.
Funding Period: 08/15/24–07/31/29

Bridging the gap between early cortical growth and functional brain deficits
Galloway Foundation Award (PI: Garcia)
The goal of this project is to link differences in brain growth, observable during the first few years of life, to clinical assessments related to autism, developmental delay, and psychiatric disorders. 
Funding Period: 08/02/21–present

Enhanced detection of cortical atrophy as a biomarker of early decline
Alzheimer’s Association Research Grant — New to Field (PI: Garcia)
The goal of this project is to link differences in cortical atrophy of specific brain regions to early cognitive deficits associated with typical and atypical Alzheimer’s disease progression. 
Funding Period: 06/01/22–05/31/25

IU School of Medicine—Evansville Community Project Development Program 
INPACT Pilot Grant (Co-PIs: Garcia, Sparks-Thissen)                                                    
Funding Period: 01/01/25–12/31/25 

Evansville Community Healthcare Organization Student-led Education for Diabetes
INPACT Pilot Grant (PI: Hannon)
Funding Period: 01/01/25–12/31/25

Connecting the mechanobiology of tissue and cells in cerebral cortical folding
NIH R01 NS111948 (PIs: Kroenke, Bayly)
The goal of this project is to understand how biological factors (cellular changes due to sensory input) contribute to cortical growth and folding.
Funding Period: 07/25/19–04/30/25

Assessment of survivor-focused cancer care in the Adolescent and Young Adult population in rural Southwestern Indiana  
PRIME Pilot Grant (Co-PIs: Garcia, Sajdyk)                                                                       
Funding Period: 05/18/22–04/30/23 

High-resolution imaging of rare fetal and infant great ape brain specimens  
Stark Pre-Clinical Neuroimaging Pilot Grant (PI: Garcia)                                                             
Funding Period: 07/01/22–06/31/23 

Smart Insulin Leak Detector 
Indiana CTSI MedTech Commercialization Project Development Team Pilot Funding (Co-PIs: Garcia, Myung)                                                
Funding Period: 04/01/22–12/31/23

• Robinson EC, Garcia KE, Glasser MF, Chen Z, Coalson TS, Makropoulos A, Bozek J, Wright R, Schuh A, Webster M, Hutter J, Price A, Cordero Grande L, Hughes E, Tusor N, Bayly PV, Van Essen DC, Smith SM, Edwards AD, Hajnal J, Jenkenson M, Glocker B, Rueckert D. Multimodal Surface Matching with higher order smoothness constraints. Neuroimage. 31 Oct 2017. 
• Garcia KE, Robinson EC, Alexopoulos D, Dierker DL, Glasser MF, Coalson TS, Ortinau CM, Rueckert DR, Taber LA, Van Essen DC, Rogers CE, Smyser CD, Bayly PV. Dynamic patterns of cortical expansion during folding of the preterm human brain. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). 5 Mar 2018. 
• Garcia KE, Kroenke CD, Bayly PV. Mechanics of cortical folding: stress, growth, and stability. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. 25 Sept 2018. 
• Garcia KE, Wang X, Kroenke CD. A model of tension-induced fiber growth predicts white matter organization during brain folding. Nature Communications. 18 Nov 2021. 
• Iannopollo E, Garcia KE. Enhanced detection of cortical atrophy in Alzheimer’s disease using structural MRI with anatomically constrained longitudinal registration. Human Brain Mapping, 42, 3576-3592. 14 May 2021.
• Wood J, Garcia KE, Carey R. Increased prevalence of sensory processing issues in pediatric gastrointestinal patient population. The Permanente Journal. 30 Nov 2022.
• Balouchzadeh R, Bayly PV, Garcia KE. Effects of stress-dependent growth on evolution of sulcal direction and curvature in models of cortical folding. Brain Multiphysics. 8 Mar 2023.
• Garcia KE, Wang X, Santiago SE, Bakshi S, Barnes AP, Kroenke CD. Longitudinal MRI of the developing ferret brain reveals regional variations in timing and rate of growth. Cerebral Cortex. 1 Apr 2024. 
• Gorham LS, Latham AR, Alexopoulos D, Kenley JK, Iannopollo E, Lean RE, Loseille D, Smyser TA, Neil JJ, Rogers CE, Smyser CD, Garcia KE. Children born very preterm experience altered cortical expansion over the first decade of life. Brain Communications. 17 Sept 2024. 
• Garcia KE, Basinski C, Kroenke CD. Quantifying the timing of gyral and sulcal formation relative to growth in the ferret cerebral cortex. Developmental Neuroscience. 20 Feb 2025.
• Garcia KE, Kroenke CD, Bayly PV. Mechanical stress connects cortical folding to fiber organization in the developing brain. Trends in Neuroscience. 29 Apr 2025.