People – Chu Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Catherine J. Chu, MD, MMSc, MA

Dr. Chu is an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School and a board-certified child neurologist and neurophysiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. She divides her time between clinical efforts and research endeavors . Clinically, she cares for children with pediatric epilepsy and interprets pediatric and adult EEGs for diagnosis and management. Dr. Chu manages the inpatient Pediatric EEG service at MGH and the high density EEG program in the MGH epilepsy monitoring unit. Following her clinical training, Dr. Chu participated in an advanced clinical investigator training program during which she developed skills in data analysis and advanced signal processing as well as clinical trial design and statistics. She is passionate about caring for children with epilepsy and better understanding this disease, with an emphasis on optimizing non-invasive information used for epilepsy surgical planning, understanding the impacts of epilepsy and abnormal physiology on brain development, and identifying reliable signals to guide clinicians in treatment decisions to improve developmental and epilepsy outcomes.

Lab Members

Wen Shi Postdoctoral Researcher Wen received her PhD degree in Electrical Engineering from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore in 2015 and Bachelor of Engineering degree in Computer Science from Jinan University, P. R. China in 2011. Wen has worked on various types of analysis of biomedical signals including ECG, EEG, PSG, MRI, and acoustic signals. She is interested in building automated analytic models by developing predictive, actionable algorithms for better performance and efficiency. In the Chu Lab, Wen will work on evaluating childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (CECTS) with a focus on automated sleep staging and spindle detection.
Hunki Kwon Postdoctoral Researcher Hunki received his PhD degree in Biomedical Engineering in 2017 and Bachelor of Engineering degree in Biomedical Engineering in 2010 from Hanyang University, Korea. His recent research has focused on what happens in the early stages of visual perception using intracranial EEG. He is also interested in multimodal imaging analysis using fMRI, EEG, DTI, MRI, etc. In the Chu Lab, Hunki will work on multiple projects evaluating childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (CECTS) using MEG/EEG electrical source imaging, resting-state fMRI functional connectivity, and probabilistic tractography algorithms with statistical approaches.
Erin Berja Clinical Research Coordinator Erin graduated from Tufts University in 2020 with a B.S. in Cognitive and Brain Science and a minor in Asian American Studies. She previously worked in cognitive neuroscience labs analyzing research areas such as social cognition, emotion regulation, and sleep-based memory consolidation, and she is interested in advancing translational neuroscience research towards clinical applications and health equity. In the Chu Lab, Erin coordinates the multi-center neonatal seizure registry, collects neuroimaging data, and investigates biomarkers, thalamocortical circuit dysfunction, and cognitive comorbidities in CECTS .
Anehita Oribabor Clinical Research Coordinator Anehita received her Bachelor of Science with Cum Laude in Mechanical Engineering from Rutgers University in 2017 and Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Boston University in 2020. Previous experience includes working on hardware development and failure analysis within IBM Corporation. Her current research interest includes integrating neurophysiological and neuroimaging data to deploy clinical technologies. In the Chu Lab, Anehita works on signal localization and neuroimaging data collection for the BECTS project.
Elizabeth Spencer Graduate Student Research Assistant Elizabeth is currently working on her PhD in Computational Neuroscience at Boston University starting in 2015. She graduated with a B.S. in Mathematics, a B.A. in French and a minor in Physics from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2015. Her research interests include data analysis and statistical modeling of neural data with medical applications. In the Chu lab, she works on the BECTS project helping to identify noninvasive biomarkers.
Dhinakaran Chinappen Graduate Student Research Assistant Dhinakaran graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics with a minor in Mathematics, obtained his Master of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering from Cornell University in 2013 and obtained his Master of Business Administration at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2019. In the Chu lab, he analyzes multimodal biomedical data for clinical use, with a focus on signal localization and neural networks, and helps with neuroimaging data collection for the BECTS project. He hopes to be able to contribute to the body of literature on neurological diseases with practical applications for patients.
Sally Stoyell Graduate Student Research Assistant Sally is currently a PhD student in the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota. She graduated from Cornell University in 2016 with a BS in Biological Sciences and a concentration in Neurobiology and Behavior. Her undergraduate research focused on infant brain function using EEG measurements and its connection to infant memory behaviors. In the Chu lab, Sally investigates structural and physiological biomarkers of epilepsy and the risk of cognitive deficits.
Lauren Ostrowski Medical School Student Research Assistant Lauren is currently an MD-PhD student at the University of California San Diego, where she is pursuing a career in clinical neurology and research in computational neuroscience and neuroengineering. Previously, she graduated in 2018 from Brown University with a B.Sc. in Neuroscience with Honors designation for thesis work in microstructural features of white matter and neural connectivity in developmental epilepsy. At the Chu Lab, she uses EEG, neuroimaging, and behavioral data to investigate neurodevelopmental disease and seizure disorders.
Emily Thorn Medical School Student Research Assistant Emily is currently a medical school student at Washington State University. Previously, she graduated from Boston University with a Masters of Science (Medical Sciences), and did her undergraduate work at Western Washington University with an interdisciplinary degree in Anthropology and Biology, including minors in Chemistry and Psychology. She also served as a community health educator with the Peace Corps in Albania. Emily joined the MGH Epilepsy Service in 2014 and the Chu Lab in 2015. She investigates neuroanatomical and functional connectivity using 3T/7T MR imaging and high density EEG/MEG source localization.
Grace Xiao Medical School Student Research Assistant Grace Xiao is a medical school student at Johns Hopkins. Previously, she did her undergraduate work at Harvard studying neurobiology and economics. She is interested in creating impact through research, policy and entrepreneurship. In the Chu lab, Grace assisted with collecting and analyzing neuroimaging data for the BECTS project and works on a project looking at spikes in children with BECTS.

Collaborators & Advisers

Steven Stufflebeam, MD Associate Professor of Radiology, MGH, Harvard Medical School	Matti Hamalainen, PhD Associate Professor of Radiology, Harvard Medical School
Sydney Cash, MD, PhD Associate Professor of Neurology, MGH, Harvard Medical School	Mark Kramer, PhD Associate Professor of Math and Statistics, Boston University
Kevin Staley, MD Professor of Neurology, MGH, Harvard Medical School	Randy Gollub, MD, PhD Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Andrew Cole, MD Professor of Neurology, MGH, Harvard Medical School	Ona Wu, PhD Associate Professor of Radiology, Harvard Medical School
Elizabeth Thiele, MD, PhD Professor of Neurology, MGH, Harvard Medical School	Brian Edlow, MD Instructor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School
Britt Carlson Emerton, PhD Instructor of Psychology, MGH, Harvard Medical School	Amy Morgan, PhD Instructor of Psychology, Harvard Medical School

Former Lab Members

Jennifer Leahy, BS (Last Reported Position: PhD student in Psychology)

Stefania Sokolowski, BS (Last Reported Position: Strategic Analyst at Sloan Kettering)

Rayna Trietsch, BS (Last Reported Position: Medical student at Tufts)

Juan Diaz, BS (Last Reported Position: MBA student at Dartmouth)

Katica Boric, PhD (Last Reported Position: Motherhood!)

Kyla Cordrey, BS (Last Reported Position: Medical student at Johns Hopkins)

Rebecca Weiss, BS (Last Reported Position: Research coordinator in Neonatology at MGH)

Wenting Xie, BS (Last Reported Position: Moving abroad!)

Erin Ross, BS (Last Reported Position: Research coordinator at UCSF)

Dan Song, BS (Last Reported Position: Bioengineering PhD student at Northwestern)

Mckenna Parnes, MSEd (Last Reported Position: Clinical Psychology PhD Student at Suffolk University)

Katrina Daigle, MA (Last Reported Position: Clinical Psycholog PhD Student at Suffolk University)

Principal Investigator

Catherine J. Chu, MD, MMSc, MA

Lab Members

Wen ShiPostdoctoral Researcher

Hunki KwonPostdoctoral Researcher

Erin BerjaClinical Research Coordinator

Anehita OribaborClinical Research Coordinator

Elizabeth SpencerGraduate Student Research Assistant

Dhinakaran ChinappenGraduate Student Research Assistant

Sally StoyellGraduate Student Research Assistant

Lauren OstrowskiMedical School Student Research Assistant

Emily ThornMedical School Student Research Assistant

Grace XiaoMedical School Student Research Assistant

Collaborators & Advisers

Steven Stufflebeam, MDAssociate Professor of Radiology, MGH, Harvard Medical School

Matti Hamalainen, PhDAssociate Professor of Radiology, Harvard Medical School

Sydney Cash, MD, PhDAssociate Professor of Neurology, MGH, Harvard Medical School

Mark Kramer, PhDAssociate Professor of Math and Statistics, Boston University

Kevin Staley, MDProfessor of Neurology, MGH, Harvard Medical School

Randy Gollub, MD, PhDAssociate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

Andrew Cole, MDProfessor of Neurology, MGH, Harvard Medical School

Ona Wu, PhDAssociate Professor of Radiology, Harvard Medical School

Elizabeth Thiele, MD, PhDProfessor of Neurology, MGH, Harvard Medical School

Brian Edlow, MDInstructor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School

Britt Carlson Emerton, PhDInstructor of Psychology, MGH, Harvard Medical School

Amy Morgan, PhDInstructor of Psychology, Harvard Medical School

Former Lab Members

Jennifer Leahy, BS (Last Reported Position: PhD student in Psychology)

Stefania Sokolowski, BS (Last Reported Position: Strategic Analyst at Sloan Kettering)

Rayna Trietsch, BS (Last Reported Position: Medical student at Tufts)

Juan Diaz, BS (Last Reported Position: MBA student at Dartmouth)

Katica Boric, PhD (Last Reported Position: Motherhood!)

Kyla Cordrey, BS (Last Reported Position: Medical student at Johns Hopkins)

Rebecca Weiss, BS (Last Reported Position: Research coordinator in Neonatology at MGH)

Wenting Xie, BS (Last Reported Position: Moving abroad!)

Erin Ross, BS (Last Reported Position: Research coordinator at UCSF)

Dan Song, BS (Last Reported Position: Bioengineering PhD student at Northwestern)

Mckenna Parnes, MSEd (Last Reported Position: Clinical Psychology PhD Student at Suffolk University)

Katrina Daigle, MA (Last Reported Position: Clinical Psycholog PhD Student at Suffolk University)

Wen Shi
Postdoctoral Researcher

Hunki Kwon
Postdoctoral Researcher

Erin Berja
Clinical Research Coordinator

Anehita Oribabor
Clinical Research Coordinator

Elizabeth Spencer
Graduate Student Research Assistant

Dhinakaran Chinappen
Graduate Student Research Assistant

Sally Stoyell
Graduate Student Research Assistant

Lauren Ostrowski
Medical School Student Research Assistant

Emily Thorn
Medical School Student Research Assistant

Grace Xiao
Medical School Student Research Assistant

Steven Stufflebeam, MD
Associate Professor of Radiology, MGH, Harvard Medical School

Matti Hamalainen, PhD
Associate Professor of Radiology, Harvard Medical School

Sydney Cash, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Neurology, MGH, Harvard Medical School

Mark Kramer, PhD
Associate Professor of Math and Statistics, Boston University

Kevin Staley, MD
Professor of Neurology, MGH, Harvard Medical School

Randy Gollub, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

Andrew Cole, MD
Professor of Neurology, MGH, Harvard Medical School

Ona Wu, PhD
Associate Professor of Radiology, Harvard Medical School

Elizabeth Thiele, MD, PhD
Professor of Neurology, MGH, Harvard Medical School

Brian Edlow, MD
Instructor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School

Britt Carlson Emerton, PhD
Instructor of Psychology, MGH, Harvard Medical School

Amy Morgan, PhD
Instructor of Psychology, Harvard Medical School