Research
Our lab develops optical technologies for minimally and non-invasive bedside measurement of microvascular blood flow and oxygen saturation, allowing continuous assessment of aerobic metabolism. We utilize diffuse optical and correlation spectroscopies to investigate continuous, quantitative brain and spinal cord health during critical care.
Current projects:
Monitoring cerebral hemodynamics during pediatric extracorporeal circulatory support
Developing minimally invasive tools and techniques to monitor the central nervous system
Collaborators: Lakshmi Raman M.D., Ethan Sanford M.D. (Children’s Health Center), Thomas Floyd M.D. (UTSW), Ann Stowe Ph.D. (University of Kentucky), Jonathan Fisher Ph.D. (NYMC), Imad Khan M.D., Regina Choe Ph.D. (University of Rochester)
- Funding: NIH-NINDS, NIH-NIBIB, McDermott Chair (UTSW), Women's Auxiliary (Children's Medical Center Foundation)
- Previous funding: Hartwell Foundation
Meet the Principal Investigator

Dr. David Busch
Dr. Busch is an assistant professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management, with a secondary appointment in Neurology and Neurotherapeutics. His work translates tools and techniques from the physical sciences to solve pressing clinical problems, primarily in monitoring the brain and spinal cord. Much of his research utilizes minimally and non-invasive diffuse optical tools which enable continuous, long-term measurements of the central nervous system. Dr. Busch’s work has been funded by the Fulbright Commission, the Institute of International Education Whitaker Fellowship, the NIH, the McDermott Chair, the Women's Auxiliary, the Thrasher Research Foundation, and the Hartwell Foundation.
Meet the Team
Dr. Margherita Tabet
Dr. Tabet is a medical doctor functioning as a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. She is working to understand how skin melanin content can affect pulse oximetry while directly contributing to projects continuously monitoring critical care patients.

RyanCole Weldon-Carroll
RyanCole Weldon-Carroll is a graduate of Southern Methodist University, where he graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering with a Biomedical Specialization on the Premed Track with minors in Chemistry, Biology, and Math. He is improving monitoring technologies which focus on aspects from spinal cord blood flow to cerebral hemodynamics.

Jayesh Sharma
Jayesh Sharma is a Neuroscience graduate from the University of Southern California. He is working towards bridging clinical care with advanced biometrics predicting and improving patient outcomes.

Bill Zhang
Bill Zhang is a medical student attending the University of Texas Southwestern. He is working on examining blood biomarkers as a predictive factor in critical care patient outcomes.

Summer Morris
Summer Morris is a medical student attending the University of Texas Southwestern. She directly works on monitoring critical care patients and managing the information databases paired with our clinical research.
Featured Publications
Continuous cerebral hemodynamic measurement during deep hypothermic circulatory arrest.
Busch DR, Rusin CG, Miller-Hance W, Kibler K, Baker WB, Heinle JS, Fraser CD, Yodh AG, Licht DJ, Brady KM 2016 Sep Biomed Opt Express 9 7 3461-3470Cerebral Blood Flow Response to Hypercapnia in Children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome.
Busch DR, Lynch JM, Winters ME, McCarthy AL, Newland JJ, Ko T, Cornaglia MA, Radcliffe J, McDonough JM, Samuel J, Matthews E, Xiao R, Yodh AG, Marcus CL, Licht DJ, Tapia IE 2016 Jan Sleep 1 39 209-16All Publications
Asymmetric, dynamic adaptation in prefrontal cortex during dichotic listening tasks.
Fisher JAN, Gumenchuk I, Rogovin OS, Yodh AG, Busch DR, 2020 Oct Neurophotonics 4 7 045008Multi-Site Optical Monitoring of Spinal Cord Ischemia during Spine Distraction.
Busch DR, Lin W, Cai C, Cutrone A, Tatka J, Kovarovic BJ, Yodh AG, Floyd TF, Barsi J, 2020 09 J Neurotrauma 18 37 2014-2022Perfusion Enhancement with Respiratory Impedance After Stroke (PERI-Stroke).
Favilla CG, Forti RM, Zamzam A, Detre JA, Mullen MT, Yodh AG, Kasner SE, Busch DR, Baker WB, Mesquita RC, Kung D, Messé SR, 2019 10 Neurotherapeutics 4 16 1296-1303Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy Analysis Implemented on a Field Programmable Gate Array.
Lin W, Busch DR, Goh CC, Barsi J, Floyd TF, 2019 IEEE Access 7 122503-122512Noninvasive continuous optical monitoring of absolute cerebral blood flow in critically ill adults.
He L, Baker WB, Milej D, Kavuri VC, Mesquita RC, Busch DR, Abramson K, Jiang JY, Diop M, St Lawrence K, Amendolia O, Quattrone F, Balu R, Kofke WA, Yodh AG 2018 Oct Neurophotonics 4 5 045006Laser safety in fiber-optic monitoring of spinal cord hemodynamics: a preclinical evaluation.
Busch DR, Davis J, Kogler A, Galler RM, Parthasarathy AB, Yodh AG, Floyd TF 2018 Jun J Biomed Opt 6 23 1-9Longitudinal optical monitoring of blood flow in breast tumors during neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
Cochran JM, Chung SH, Leproux A, Baker WB, Busch DR, DeMichele AM, Tchou J, Tromberg BJ, Yodh AG 2017 Jun Phys Med Biol 12 62 4637-4653Scoring system for periventricular leukomalacia in infants with congenital heart disease.
McCarthy AL, Winters ME, Busch DR, Gonzalez-Giraldo E, Ko TS, Lynch JM, Schwab PJ, Xiao R, Buckley EM, Vossough A, Licht DJ 2015 Sep Pediatr. Res. 3 78 304-9Pressure modulation algorithm to separate cerebral hemodynamic signals from extracerebral artifacts.
Baker WB, Parthasarathy AB, Ko TS, Busch DR, Abramson K, Tzeng SY, Mesquita RC, Durduran T, Greenberg JH, Kung DK, Yodh AG 2015 Jul Neurophotonics 3 2 035004Noninvasive optical quantification of cerebral venous oxygen saturation in humans.
Lynch JM, Buckley EM, Schwab PJ, Busch DR, Hanna BD, Putt ME, Licht DJ, Yodh AG 2014 Feb Acad Radiol 2 21 162-7Blood flow reduction in breast tissue due to mammographic compression.
Busch DR, Choe R, Durduran T, Friedman DH, Baker WB, Maidment AD, Rosen MA, Schnall MD, Yodh AG 2014 Feb Acad Radiol 2 21 151-61Optically measured microvascular blood flow contrast of malignant breast tumors.
Choe R, Putt ME, Carlile PM, Durduran T, Giammarco JM, Busch DR, Jung KW, Czerniecki BJ, Tchou J, Feldman MD, Mies C, Rosen MA, Schnall MD, DeMichele A, Yodh AG 2014 PLoS ONE 6 9 e99683Towards non-invasive characterization of breast cancer and cancer metabolism with diffuse optics.
Busch DR, Choe R, Durduran T, Yodh AG 2013 Jul PET Clin 3 8Optical malignancy parameters for monitoring progression of breast cancer neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
Busch DR, Choe R, Rosen MA, Guo W, Durduran T, Feldman MD, Mies C, Czerniecki BJ, Tchou J, Demichele A, Schnall MD, Yodh AG 2013 Jan Biomed Opt Express 1 4 105-21Computer aided automatic detection of malignant lesions in diffuse optical mammography.
Busch DR, Guo W, Choe R, Durduran T, Feldman MD, Mies C, Rosen MA, Schnall MD, Czerniecki BJ, Tchou J, DeMichele A, Putt ME, Yodh AG 2010 Apr Med Phys 4 37 1840-9Contact Us
Dept. of Anesthesiology and Pain Management
5323 Harry Hines Blvd
Dallas, Texas 75390
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Join Our Lab
Non- and minimally-invasive diffuse optical tissue monitoring
A postdoctoral position is available in the laboratory of David R. Busch, Ph. D. in the Departments of Anesthesiology and Pain Management & Neurology and Neurotherapeutics at UT Southwestern Medical Center. This laboratory, new to UTSW, focuses on the development and translation of diffuse optical and correlation spectroscopic instrumentation to monitor the central nervous system.
Candidates must hold a Ph.D. in physics, biomedical engineering, bioengineering, or a similar field. A solid record of publication is required to demonstrate writing and technical expertise. Candidates with experience in the development of fiber optic probes, diffuse optics (DCS/DOT/DOS), tissue optics, and clinical translation are preferred. Previous work in an operating theater or intensive care unit is helpful.
The fellow will be focused on the translation of diffuse optics into the surgical and critical care setting. This work is performed in close collaboration with enthusiastic clinical collaborators. Current projects include non-invasive monitoring of cerebral hemodynamics during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (Prof. Lakshmi Raman, Children’s Medical Center, PI: Busch, Hartwell Foundation) and minimally invasive monitoring of the spinal cord in animal models (Prof. Thomas Floyd, UTSW, PI: Floyd, NIH U01). The fellow will be expected and encouraged to develop new lines of research, collecting pilot data for their future independent research careers, within the general themes of the lab.
This lab and our collaborators are committed to the professional development of the members, making this position a valuable preparation for those interested in academic, industrial, or entrepreneurial careers. The position has no mandatory teaching or administrative duties.
The initial appointment is for 12 months with the possibility of renewal. Compensation will be commensurate with experience and includes competitive benefits.
Interested individuals should send a CV, statement of interests, expected date of availability, and a list of three references to:
David R. Busch, Ph. D.
UT Southwestern Medical Center
5323 Harry Hines Blvd.
Dallas, TX 75390-9068