Center for Functional Neuroimaging (CfN)

Focus

Neuroimaging methods are increasingly applied to all phases of neuroscience research ranging from preclinical studies in animal models to human patients. Even in an era of genomics and molecular medicine, neuroimaging modalities remain essential for phenotyping brain structure and function and for monitoring the evolution of brain disorders and their treatments.

The Center for Functional Neuroimaging (CfN) was established in 2002 to provide support for functional neuroimaging research at the University of Pennsylvania and collaborating institutions. Researchers using the CfN infrastructure carry out a wide range of cutting edge neuroimaging research in disorders such as stroke, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, degenerative diseases, and neuropsychiatric disorders as well as study of human brain development.

In addition to providing administrative support for initiatives in development, and education and training, the CfN advances technical capabilities for functional neuroimaging and provides technical support for researchers through support of staff scientists and faculty groups comprised of members with specific expertise. The CfN also maximizes instrument access for all investigators in collaboration with the Center for Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy (CAMRIS) and oversees medical safety at the Stellar Chance MRI facility.

In close collaboration with the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience (CCN), the CfN was instrumental in supporting the burgeoning field of cognitive neuroscience at Penn. From 2003-2019, the CfN was supported in part by an NINDS P30 Center Core grant ”Neuroscience Neuroimaging Center (NNC).” Starting in 2019, the CfN will be part of a University-wide Brain Science Center that seeks to consolidate research infrastructure across the clinical, cognitive, systems, and computational neuroscience groups that have been localized in the Richards and Goddard Laboratories.