Dr. Peter Van Zijl

Biography

Peter van Zijl is a research scientist at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and founding director of the F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. His research focuses on developing new methodologies using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) to study brain function and physiology. He aims to enhance the understanding of basic mechanisms behind MRI signal changes measured during functional MRI (fMRI) tests. van Zijl holds a master's degree in inorganic chemistry and doctoral degrees in mathematics and physics. He completed fellowships in nuclear magnetic resonance at Carnegie Mellon University and MRI at the National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute. He became a research assistant professor at Georgetown University in 1990, joined the Department of Radiology at Johns Hopkins University Medical School in 1992, and was promoted to associate professor the same year and to professor in 1997. In 1999, he became the founding director of the Kirby Research Center, which has received National Center status from the National Center for Biomedical Technology Research, funded by the National Center for Research Resources. van Zijl is a fellow of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and has received the society’s gold medal award for scientific achievement.

Research Interests

Experience

Awards