Alice Hsu

I am interested in using neuromodulating technologies, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), to treat traumatic brain injuries. We are testing whether TMS can reset frontoamygdala circuitry to extinguish fear avoidance behavior, autonomic reactivity, and sleep disturbances that prolong symptoms after concussion. Using machine learning, in the largest study of its kind with the most continuous data, I will develop an algorithm that uses at-home measures of autonomic function (heart rate variability (HRV), heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygenation, and sleep/rest temperature) from the Oura Ring to predict in-lab autonomics (HRV and pupillary dynamics before, during, and after TMS and an exposure task as well as central autonomic activity in fMRI). I will develop a software that transforms consumer-based wearable data into biomarkers to predict concussion recovery and guide treatment for patients with prolonged symptoms.

Mentor: Kevin Bickart, M.D., Ph.D.