Gulin Öz, Ph.D.

Dr. Öz is a brain imaging scientist who specializes in magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in degenerative brain diseases with special interest in spinocerebellar ataxias. She graduated from Bosphorus University in Istanbul, Turkey with BS degrees in Physics and Chemistry and obtained her PhD in Biochemistry at the University of Minnesota. She continued with postdoctoral training at the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research (link to http://www.cmrr.umn.edu/) where she joined the faculty as assistant professor in 2006. She also serves as the director of the Magnetic Resonance Core of the General Clinical Research Center (link to http://www.gcrc.med.umn.edu/).

Dr. Öz’s research focuses on the application of MRS techniques using MRI scanners with higher magnetic fields than the routine clinical scanners to delineate the chemical alterations in the cerebellum in ataxia. MRS techniques non-invasively quantify the neurotransmitters and antioxidants in affected brain regions. Such information is expected to facilitate early detection of brain diseases such as inherited ataxia and to provide an objective means to monitor disease progression and response to therapies.

Selected publications:

Öz, G., Berkich, D.A., Henry, P.G., Xu, Y., LaNoue, K., Hutson, S.M., Gruetter, R., Neuroglial Metabolism in the Awake Rat Brain: CO₂ Fixation Increases with Brain Activity, J. Neurosci., 24: 11273-11279, 2004.

Öz, G., Tkác, I., Charnas, L.R., Choi, I.Y., Bjoraker, K.J., Shapiro, E.G., Gruetter, R., Assessment of Adrenoleukodystrophy Lesions by High Field MRS in Non-sedated Pediatric Patients, Neurology, 64: 434-441, 2005.

Öz, G., Terpstra, M., Tkác, I., Aia, P., Lowary, J., Tuite, P.J., Gruetter, R., Proton MRS of the Unilateral Substantia Nigra in the Human Brain at 4 Tesla: Detection of High GABA Concentrations, Magn. Reson. Med., 55: 296-301, 2006.