Patient on MRI machine with radiologist in control room

VA Advanced Imaging Research Center

The VA Advanced Imaging Research Center (VAARC) performs clinical translational research on medical imaging to improve the health of veterans. We specialize in advanced diagnostics for neurological conditions, deployment-related illnesses, and cardiovascular and musculoskeletal health.

An internationally recognized imaging research program, the VAARC consists of 35 scientists and an annual budget of more than $6 million from the National Institute of Health, Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, non-profit foundations, and industry partners. Our comprehensive research center includes: 

  • Participant Recruitment
  • Clinical & Cognitive Assessments
  • Imaging Protocol Development
  • Data Acquisition, Storage, Management, Processing & Analysis 

Diseases are rarely conceptualized in a single system model today. We foster a collaborative environment that accelerates translational research. Our group includes clinicians, physicists, and computer scientists who focus on developing new techniques to improving our ability to acquire and analyze data. Our informatics team facilitates the project development and management, in partnership with our administrative personnel. Through this scientific collaboration, we drive leadership and innovation that aims to will better serve our veterans.
 

MRI control room

High Field Imaging Center

Located within VAARC and led by Joseph An Vu, PhD, the center enables UCSF investigators to pursue innovative studies using cutting-edge MRI systems.

MR studies & how to apply

Medical Imaging Informatics & Artificial Intelligence

Led by Duygu Tosun-Turgut, PhD, the MED AI Lab bridges data science and clinical biomedical imaging to find new, innovative ways to use AI and imaging for medical diagnosis.

Explore the lab and research

Researchers walking and talking in hallway
group of people (2015 Neural Connectivity Lab Group Photo Left-to-right: Eva Palacios, Nicholas Pojman, Julia Owen, Nhunhu Nguyen, Frank Ezekiel, Pratik Mukherjee, and Yi-Shin Chang Not pictured: Tracy Luks, Alireza Radmanesh, and Joe Zhang)

Neural Connectivity Lab

Led by Pratik Mukherjee, MD, PhD, the lab is currently developing next generation, noninvasive imaging technologies to improve diagnosis and treatment for patients with mild traumatic brain injury.

Learn more about the lab

Vascular Imaging Research Center

Led by David Saloner, PhD, the lab's researchers apply advanced cardiovascular imaging techniques to a range of diseases to improve clinical management.

Explore their research projects

MRI machine

Research Projects

The Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) grant aims to develop improved methods, which will lead to uniform standards for acquiring longitudinal multisite MRI and PET…

Contact Us

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VA Advanced Imaging Research Center

Stephanie Rossi
Imaging Core Supervisor
San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center
4150 Clement Street
San Francisco, CA 94121
Ph: (415) 221-4810 x26387
[email protected]