Over the past two decades, Dr. Yen has devoted herself to the development of advanced MRI techniques, for hyperpolarized metabolic imaging, cancer imaging and functional imaging in clinical and pre-clinical research. She is an MR physicist with >100 publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals, book chapters, reviews and patents. Her pioneering work in hyperpolarized 13C MR spectroscopic imaging of metabolism has resulted in 30+ publications, including the first in vivo tracking of altered metabolic pathways in prostate cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma and glioma in animal studies.

Hyperpolarized imaging will revolutionize how we study and manage diseases. Dr. Yen’s group explores new hyperpolarized imaging contrast agents, investigates potential applications in cancer and aging research, and develops multinuclear MR techniques to advance hyperpolarized imaging for translational research.

In addition, her group is developing advanced dynamic MRI technologies to study brain perfusion, permeability of blood brain barrier, and brain function. They are currently investigating the relationship between tau deposition and neurovascular healthy in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. In collaboration with industry, they are developing imaging techniques to monitor treatment effect in sickle cell disease animal models to aid in drug development.