Wu Lab

The research lab of Yu-Chien Wu, MD, PhD, is actively investigating a wide range of radiology and imaging topics. Dr. Wu is particularly focused on studying diffusion physics in biologic system using diffusion MRI.

members of the wu lab

Wu Lab featured in national IU commercial

Expertise

The Wu Lab is a national leader in neuroscience expertise. From working on studies like the CARE Consortium, the world's most comprehensive concussion study, to uncovering early diagnosis treatments for Alzheimer's disease, the Wu Lab is a pioneering hub for research excellence at IU School of Medicine and across the country.


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Stay up to date on the latest research by the Wu Lab and reach out to current team members.

14 countries represented
$11 million in grant funding
213 publications
Research Topics
Images of brain scans for Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer's disease

With current treatments only managing symptoms, research is needed to address early diagnosis and intervention.

Imagings of brain scans for animials.

Animal Imaging

In vivo assessments on a mouse model find disruptions in microstructural integrity and neurite organization.

Images of brain scans for concussion.

Sport-Related Concussion

The relationship between blood-based neural biomarkers and white matter neuroimaging in collegiate athletes.

Images of brain scans.

Human Imaging

The lab highlights the growing impact of computational methods, combined imaging techniques, and animal models in advancing neuroscience research.

Images of brain scans for TBI.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

The lab addresses the sensitivity issues of conventional medical imaging techniques in detecting mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) by utilizing hybrid diffusion imaging (HYDI).

Research Funding

Salman Shahid (left) and Yu-Chien Wu (right) sitting on a bench smiling at the camera. A small tree is in the background.

Research collaborations are pivotal in advancing research within the Wu Lab. These partnerships help foster synergy, pooling diverse expertise and resources to tackle complex challenges. From access to specialized equipment, funding, and data, to amplifying research capabilities — shared knowledge accelerates innovation, refining diagnostic techniques and potential treatment strategies.

Ultimately, partnerships amplify a lab's impact, driving transformative progress in neuroscience.

Wu Lab

R01 AGAG083951, NIH-NIA, Wu (PI), 2023-2028
Assessing Diffusion MRI Metrics for Detecting Changes of Synaptic Density in Alzheimer's Disease

R01 NS112303-01, NIH-NINDS, Wu (PI), 2020-2025
Comprehensive White-Matter Microstructure-Informed Analytical Methods to Elucidate Neurobiological Mechanisms of Sports-Related Concussion

R01 NS112303-03S1, NIH-NINDS-NIA, Wu (PI), 2022-2025
Elucidating Pathophysiological Mechanisms of Alzheimer's Disease Using White-Matter Microstructure-Informed Subject-Specific Analytical Methods

R01 AG053993, NIH-NIA, Wu (PI), 2016-2024
Modeling Axonal Density and Inflammation-Associated Cellularity in Alzheimer's Disease Using Hybrid Diffusion Imaging 

R21AG068962, NIH-R21 (PI: Tong, Purdue University)
, Wu (Site-PI), 2021-2024
Image-Based Modeling of Biomechanical Factors for Risk Assessment of Developing Periventricular White Matter Hyperintensities

2R44AG060861-02, NINDS-ADM Diagnostics, Inc. (PI: Matthews at ADM Diagnostics, Inc.), 2022-2024
Multi-modal Machine Learning Detection and Tracking of Traumatic Brain Injury Neurodegeneration and Its Differentiation from Alzheimer's Disease

Collaborative

U54AG054345,  NIH-NIA, Bruce Lamb (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2022-2027
IU/JAX/PITT MODEL-AD Center

R01AG022304-15S1, NIH-NIA Rao, Cleveland Clinic (PI), Lamb, IUSM (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2021-2023
Immune Mechanisms Underlying the Neuroprotective Effects of Physical Activity in Human and Mouse Models of Genetic Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease

P30 AG072976, NIH, Saykin (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2021-2026
Indiana Alzheimer Disease Research Center

RF1, NIH, Radhakrishnan (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2023-2026
Multimodal Fetal and Placental Imaging and Biomarkers of Clinical Outcomes in Opioid Use Disorder

W81XWH1820047 and HU001-18-2008, U.S. Army MTEC & NCAA, McAllister, IUSM (PI), Broglio, University of Michigan (PI), McCrea, Medical College of Wisconsin (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2021-2026
Characterizing Potential Chronic Brain Health Effects of Concussion and Repetitive Head Impact Exposure: The CARE-SALTOS Integrated (CSI) Study

R01 RF1NS128961, NIH, Dams-O’Connor, Mount Saini (PI) Hammond (Site-PI), Wu (Co-I), 2022-2027
Clinical & biological signatures of post-traumatic neurodegeneration: Leveraging the TBI Model Systems of Care to accelerate in vivo diagnosis of the late effects of TBI (LETBI)

R01AG061788, NIH, Risacher (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2019-2024
Multi-Domain Sensory Measures as Biomarkers of Alzheimer's Disease in Preclinical and Prodromal Stages

R03, NIH,Radhakrishnan (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2023-2024
Neuroimaging in Pregnancy to Assess Effects of Opioid Use Disorder

R01, NIH-NIA, Lasagna-Reeves (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2023-2028
CAA, Tau and Neurodegeneration

R01, NIH, Kim, University of Alabama (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2024-2029
DCE-MRI guided Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Cancer.

R01, NIH-NIDS, Meier, Medical College Wisconsin (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2023-2027
The role of cytomegalovirus in the physiological and clinical effects of concussion.

R01, NIH, Tong, Purdue University (PI), Wu (Site-PI), 2024-2027
Cloud-based Analytical Tools to Extract Physiological Information from HCP Data.

R21, NIH, Tong, Purdue University (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2024-2026
Assessing Neurofluid Coupling in Spinal Cord in Healthy Subjects and Patients with Spinal Cord Injuries

Wu Lab

Identifying Microstructural Imaging Biomarkers that Predict Post-Traumatic Headache, Indiana State Department of Health, Wu (PI), 2021-2023

Tau propagation and white matter degeneration in early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, IADC, Pilot Project, Wu (PI), 2020-2021

Research Contract, Siemens, Wu (PI), 2018-2021
Diffusion MRI

Combing the perfusion, function and structure matrices of the brain to assess the spectrum of Alzheimer’s disease, CTSI-IADC Pilot, Tong (PI), Wu (Site-PI), 2020-2022

R01HD096800, NIH, Sadhasivam (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2018-2020
Effects of opioid use disorder in pregnancy on long-term maternal and child outcomes

CTR, CTSI, Wu (PI), 2016-2018
Microstructure Modulated White Matter Connectivity for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

R21 NS075791, NIH/NINDS-Dartmouth, McAllister & Wu (MPI), 2011-2015
HYBRID Diffusion Imaging to Detect Acute White Matter Injury After Mild TBI 

High Angular Resolution Diffusion Imaging(HARDI) with novel HYPR image reconstruction, Dartmouth SYNERGY, Wu (PI), 2012-2015

Hybrid Diffusion Imaging (HYDI) of the Kidney, IUPUI-RITDP,  Wu (PI), 2015-2016

Microstructure Imaging of the Human Brain with TBI, IUPUI-ITDP, Wu (PI), 2015-2016

Measuring Axonal Diameters and Density with a Novel ActiveAx and Fast RSA-EPI Sequence, IADC, Pilot Project, Wu (PI), 2014-2016

R01 AG053993-01, NIA, Wu (PI), 2016 – 2021
Modeling Axonal Density and Inflammation-Associated Cellularity in Alzheimer’s Disease Using Hybrid Diffusion Imaging

Collaborative


R01 AG019771, NIH, Saykin (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2017-2023
Memory Circuitry in MCI and Early Alzheimer’s Disease Prodrome: Molecular Drivers

R56 AG047992-07A1, NIH, Newhouse, Vanderbilt University (PI), Saykin (Site-PI), Wu (Co-I), 2022-2023
Long-Term Nicotine Treatment of Mild Cognitive Impairment

U01 AG072177, NIH-NIA, Saykin (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2021-2022
Korean Brain Aging Study, Longitudinal Endophenotypes and Systems Biology

R01 AG047992, NIH, Newhouse (PI), Saykin (Site-PI), Wu (Co-I), 2015-2022
Long-Term Nicotine Treatment of Mild Cognitive Impairment 

R01 AG052439, NIH, Clark (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2017-2022
MIND Food and Speed of Processing Training in Older Adults with Low Education, The MINDSpeed Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention Pilot Trail

R21AG066135, NIH-NIA, Yan (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2019-2022
Gene Co-expression Underlying the Connectomic Alterations in Alzheimer’s Disease

U01 MH109977, NIH, Shenton, Harvard Medical School (PI), Breier (Site-PI), Wu (Co-I), 2016-2021
Human Connectome Project for Early Psychosis

W81XWH-14-2-0151, DoD+NCAA, McAllister (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2018-2021
Concussion Assessment, Research and Education Consortium for sport-related concussion and military personnel 

R01 EB022574, NIH, Shen (PI), Saykin (Site-PI), Wu (Co-I), 2016-2021
Integrative Bioinformatics Approaches to Human Brain Genomics and Connectomics

P30 AG010133, NIH, Saykin (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2011-2021
Indiana Alzheimer Disease Center

ARRS Scholarship, ARRS, Radhakrishnan (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2018-2020
Predicting neurodevelopmental outcomes in neonatal abstinence syndrome

I
mproving functional ability in chronic TBI with intensive rehabilitation robotic gait training (PI: Massie)Indiana Spinal Cord & Traumatic Brain Injury Research Fund, Wu (Co-I), 2017-2019

Data Research/Pilot Study Project, IU-Health, Sadhasivam (PI)Wu (Co-I), 2018-2019
Effects of an 8-day advanced meditation, Samyama on physical, psychological and spiritual wellbeing, and associated neural mechanisms

UH3TR000955-S1, NIH, Breier (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2016-2018
The Efficacy and Safety of a Selective Estrogen Receptor Beta agonist (LY500307) for Negative Symptoms and Cognitive Impairment Associated with Schizophrenia

R21 AG051932, NIH, Callahan (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2016-2018
Angiogenesis and Alzheimer’s Disease

W81XWH-14-2-0151, NCAA-DoD, McAllister (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2014-2018
Concussion Assessment, Research and Education Consortium (CARE)

R01 MH080716-04S1, NIH, Whalen (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2010-2011
Prefrontal-Amygdala Interactions in Social Learning

Advancing the Understanding of Biomechanical Parameters Associated with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, NOCSAE, McAllister (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2011-2013

R01 MH091100-A1, NIH, Holzheimer (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2011-2013
Investigating Biomarkers of TRD Using Neuroimaging 

R01 MH080716, NIH, Whalen (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2012-2013
Prefrontal-Amygdala Interactions in Social Learning

Advanced MRI Evaluation of Cerebral Blood Flow and Brain Connectivity Biomarkers in Adolescent Subacute Sports-related Concussion, Ninesigma, Inc., McDonald (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2014-2015

UH3TR000955, NIH, Breier (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2014-2015
The Efficacy and Safety of a Selective Estrogen Receptor Beta agonist (LY500307) for Negative Symptoms and Cognitive Impairment Associated with Schizophrenia

Improved accuracy for anatomical mapping and network structure of the Alzheimer’s brain, CTSI-GLUE, Pestilli (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2015-2017

Dissection of Cholestatic Itch in Primary Biliary Cirrhosis, Intercept PharmaceuticalsChalasani (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2015-2017

Evaluation of Resting State fMRI in Neonates with Hypoxic-Ischemic Injury, radPDT,  Kralik (PI), Wu (Co-I), 2016-2017

news & publications

Dr. Wu wins Radiology Faculty Mentorship Award

Yu-Chien Wu, MD, PhD, was recently recognized with the 2024 Radiology Faculty Mentorship Award.

The award was established to recognize faculty mentors in the Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences who exemplify excellence as they support and contribute to the career development and advancement of other faculty members and learners (students, residents, fellows and postdocs) in the areas of research, education, service and/or clinical practice. 

Alterations of brain microstructures in mouse model

Images of six brain scans over black background.

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Differential vulnerability of hippocampal microstructure

Two images of brain scans.

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Understanding the role of amyloid to cerebral microvasculature in AD

Images of brain scans in grays, blues and greens over black background.

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Role of neurochemistry in amyloid pathology

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