Konstantinos Arfanakis, PhD
Director, RUSH Imaging Research Core
Professor, Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine
Konstantinos_Arfanakis@rush.edu
Konstantinos Arfanakis, PhD serves as the director of the RUSH Imaging Research Core. He is responsible for overseeing all functions of RIRC, managing staff, strategic initiatives, and reporting. Arfanakis is also Leader of the Biomarker/Neuroimaging Core at the RUSH Alzheimer’s Disease Center and Professor in the Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine.
Christopher Sica, PhD
Technical & Operations Director for MRI
Christopher_Sica@rush.edu
(872) 318-7685
Christopher Sica, PhD serves as the MR physicist and operations director for RIRC. He is responsible for quality checks on RIRC's 3T Prisma, supports and guides RIRC users on optimal sequences and experimental approaches, sets up optimized imaging protocols tailored to each project, programs and tests novel acquisition pulse sequences, and aids users with data management, usage, and interpretation. Sica also has responsibility for the day-to-day operations and scheduling of the RIRC.
Mohammad Rakeen Niaz, PhD
Research MRI Analyst
Mohammad Rakeen Niaz, PhD serves as RIRC’s dedicated research MRI analyst. He is responsible for supporting RIRC users by developing, implementing and applying advanced image processing and analysis to data collected at RIRC.
Zaki Mehkri
MRI Technologist
zaki_a_mehkri@rush.edu
Number at Scanner: (872) 318-7688
Zaki Mehkri serves as the MRI technologist at the RIRC. He is responsible for scanner and functional equipment operation, and working directly with study staff and participants during their studies.