Amina Burgess

Background

I hold a Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering from Boston University where I directed my focus on neuroengineering. After graduating, I worked at the VA Boston Healthcare Brain Bank, focusing on Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) diagnosis and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) research. During this time, I developed immunostaining protocols and used confocal microscopy to study synaptic connectivity in post-mortem brain tissue. I later joined Dr. Diane Hoffman-Kim's lab at Brown University as a lab manager while concurrently completing my Master’s in Biomedical Engineering. My thesis involved developing a computational tool using graph theory in Wolfram Mathematica to map dense neuronal networks in 3D cortical microtissues. In addition to managing lab operations and training students, I collaborated with the Kesari Lab on various brain injury projects. Outside of my academic work, I am passionate about art, enjoy painting in my spare time, and love spending time with my cat.

SCANNER

I am part of the SCANNER project, which investigates how structural and functional brain characteristics associated with autism differ between males and females. Using our state-of-the-art 7T ultra-high-field MRI scanner, I study the human brain at unprecedented spatial resolution to uncover subtle neurobiological differences.