Research Faculty

Robert Mulkern, PhD

Department Radiology
Hospital Title Scientific Director, MRI Division
Academic Title Associate Professor
Phone 617-355-3737
Fax XXX
Email Robert.mulkern@childrens.harvard.edu
Location 314 Wolbach Building
300 Longwood Avenue
Boston MA 02115

Research Overview

Dr Mulkern's research is in the field of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and spectroscopy. He has contributed to the development and application of fast MR imaging techniques and performed basic studies of water diffusion. In addition, Dr. Mulkern has developed equations that can optimize signal detection during in-vivo MR spectroscopy of the coupled spin systems common to many metabolites. He works closely with both basic researchers and clinicians in the development and use of magnetic resonance methods in medicine.

About Robert Mulkern, PhD

Dr Mulkern received undergraduate degrees in mathematics and physics from Cornell University and then received a Master's degree and a PhD in Physics from Brown University. His PhD thesis was on nuclear magnetic resonance studies of glass. He then became a fellow in an NIH-sponsored cancer training fellowship program at the Brigham and Women's Hospital, where he continued his studies of nuclear magnetic resonance in people and developed new methods for fast MR imaging. He has been a faculty member of the Department of Radiology at Children's Hospital Boston since 1990.

Key Publications

  • Mulkern RV, Haker SJ, Maier SE. On high b diffusion imaging in the human brain: Ruminations and experimental insights. Magn Reson Imag 2009; 27:1151-62. 
     
  • Leppert IR, Almli CR, McKinstry RC, Mulkern RV, Pierpaoli C, Rivkin MJ, Pike GB. T2 relaxometry of normal pediatric brain development. J Magn Reson Imaging 2009; 29:258-67. 
     
  • Mitsouras D, Owens CD, Conte MS, Ersoy H, Creager MA, Rybicki FJ, Mulkern RV. In vivo differentiation of two vessel wall layers in lower extremity peripheral vein bypass grafts: Application of high resolution inner-volume black blood 3D FSE. Magn Reson Med 2009; 62:607-15. 
     
  • Ababneh Z, Beloeil H, Berde CB, Maier SE, Mulkern RV. In vivo lipid diffusion coefficients in rat bone marrow. Magn Reson Imaging 2009; 27:859-64. 
     
  • Mulkern RV, Salsberg SL, Krauel MR, Ludwig DS, Voss SD. A paradoxical signal intensity increase in fatty livers using opposed-phase gradient echo imaging with fat-suppression pulses. Pediatr Radiol 2008; 38:1099-1104. 
     
  • Mulkern RV, Forbes P, Dewey K, Osganian S, Clark M, Wong S, Ramamurthy U, Kun L, Young Poussaint T. Establishment and results of a magnetic resonance quality assurance program for the pediatric brain tumor consortium. Acad Radiol 2008; 15:1099-1110.
     
  • Marzelli M, Fischer K, Kim YB, Mulkern RV, Yoo S-S, Park H, Cho Z-H. Composite MR contrast agents for conditional cell-labeling. Int J Imaging Syst Technol 2008; 18:79-84. 
     
  • Roebuck JR, Haker SJ, Mitsouras D, Rybicki FJ, Tempany CMC, Mulkern RV. Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) imaging of prostate cancer: Quantitative T2 values for cancer discrimination. Magn Reson Imaging 2009; 27: 497-502. 
     
  • Shinmoto H, Oshio K, Tanimoto A, Higuchi N, Okuda S, Kuribayashi S, Mulkern RV. Biexponential apparent diffusion coefficients in prostate cancer. Magn Reson Imaging 2009; 27:355-59. 
     
  • Ababneh ZQ, Ababneh R, Maier SE, Winalski CS, Oshio K, Ababneh AM, Mulkern RV. On the correlation between T2 and diffusion coefficients in exercised muscle: Quantitative measurements at 3T within the tibialis anterior. Magn Reson Mater Phy 2008; 21:273-78. 
     
  • Rybicki FJ, Mitsouras D, Owens CD, Whitmore AG, Ersoy H, Mulkern RV, Creager MA, Conte MS. Lower extremity peripheral vein bypass graft wall thickness changes demonstrated at 1 and 6 months after surgery with ultra-high spatial resolution black blood inner-volume three dimensional fast spin echo magnetic resonance imaging. Inter J Cardiovasc Imaging 2008; 24:529-33. 
     
  • Rivkin MJ , Davis PE , Lemaster JL, Cabral HJ, Warfield SK, Mulkern RV, Robson CD, Rose-Jacobs R, Frank DA. Volumteric MRI study of brain in childrens with intrauterine exposure to cocaine, alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana. Pediatrics 2008; 121:741-50.