Dr. Molly Bright

Biography

Molly Bright is an Assistant Professor in the departments of Biomedical Engineering and Physical Therapy at Northwestern University. She leads the Applied Neuro-Vascular Imaging Lab (ANVIL), which focuses on developing advanced MRI techniques to assess the healthy function and interaction of neural activity with vascular physiology in the human central nervous system. Dr. Bright's work emphasizes the initial translation of these imaging techniques to patient populations. Her research involves designing and implementing new tools and devices to stimulate, monitor, and enhance human physiology during MRI scans. Additionally, she develops specialized MRI acquisition and modeling methods to characterize neurovascular signals in the brain, brainstem, and spinal cord. ANVIL aims to produce robust noninvasive imaging techniques to study pathophysiology in cohorts with impaired movement, as seen in conditions like stroke and multiple sclerosis. Dr. Bright collaborates with multiple departments, including Physical Therapy, Human Movement Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Neurology, and Radiology, as well as with institutions like the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab.

Research Interests