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Wally Block

Wally Block

Professor

I worked as a systems engineer on some of the first commercial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners at GE Healthcare. I then returned for his doctorate at Stanford, specializing in fast acquisition MR methodology. As a faculty member in Biomedical Engineering at UW-Madison since the year 2000, my laboratory develops, implements, and analyzes novel MRI acquisition, reconstruction, and visualization strategies that dramatically shorten and simplify MRI. My lab’s primary focus today is in using MRI to guide transformative, minimally invasive treatments in the brain, primarily using intraparenchymal delivery to bypass the blood brain barrier. This work utilizes aspects of signal processing, machine learning, mechanical engineering, biophysics, and image processing.

Department

Biomedical Engineering

Contact

1137, Wi Institute Medical Research
1111 Highland Ave
Madison, WI

  • PhD 1998, Stanford University
  • MS 1988, Stanford University
  • BS 1986, University of Illinois, Urbana

  • magnetic resonance (MR) interventional procedures
  • MR image-guided drug delivery
  • MR contrast mechanisms
  • signal and image processing

  • 2021 American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, Fellow
  • 2018 Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Distinguished Reviewer
  • 2018 International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Senior Fellow
  • 2016 Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Distinguished Reviewer
  • 2016 University of Wisconsin-Madison, Vilas Associate Professorship
  • 2014 Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Distinguished Reviewer
  • 2011 Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Distinguished Reviewer
  • 2010 Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, Distinguished Reviewer
  • 2010 General Electric Healthcare, Magnetic Resonance Thought Leader
  • 2008 University Housing, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Honored Instructor Award
  • 2000 Whitaker Foundation, Grantee
  • 1995 ISMRM, Travel Stipend
  • 1986 University of Illinois, Urbana, MacClinchie Senior Scholarship
  • 1985 University of Illinois, Urbana, Ellery B. Paine Outstanding Junior Award
  • 1985 Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society, Tau Beta Pi, Member
  • 1984 Eta Kappa Nu Electrical Engineering Honor Society, Eta Kappa Nu, Member

  • B M E 402 - Biomedical Engineering Capstone Design II (Spring 2025)
  • B M E 640 - Medical Devices Ecosystem: The Path to Product (Spring 2025)
  • MED PHYS 990 - Research (Spring 2025)
  • B M E 400 - Capstone Design Course in Biomedical Engineering (Fall 2024)
  • MED PHYS 990 - Research (Fall 2024)
  • MED PHYS 990 - Research (Summer 2024)
  • B M E 402 - Biomedical Engineering Capstone Design II (Spring 2024)
  • B M E 640 - Medical Devices Ecosystem: The Path to Product (Spring 2024)
  • B M E 799 - Advanced Independent Study (Spring 2024)
  • MED PHYS 990 - Research (Spring 2024)
  • B M E 400 - Capstone Design Course in Biomedical Engineering (Fall 2023)
  • B M E 799 - Advanced Independent Study (Fall 2023)
  • MED PHYS 990 - Research (Fall 2023)
  • MED PHYS 990 - Research (Summer 2023)