Prof. Ji Chen of University of Houston

Electromagnetic fields play essential roles in medical imaging and neural stimulation. This talk will connect MRI implant safety with therapeutic stimulation through electromagnetic modeling, experimental measurements, and biophysical neuron models. Topics include RF-induced heating, implant-induced field perturbations, and peripheral nerve stimulation, with examples of methods supporting safety assessment and regulatory evaluation. The discussion will then extend to coupled electromagnetic and axon modeling, examining how applied fields influence neural activation and conduction. Recent computational and experimental studies will illustrate the potential of targeted stimulation to restore conduction in demyelinated nerves, linking electromagnetic engineering with emerging approaches to neuromodulation.

Biography:

Ji Chen received his Ph.D. degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. After three years at the Motorola Cell Phone Research Laboratory, he joined the University of Houston, where he is currently a Professor in the Cullen College of Engineering. He serves as Director of the NSF Center for Electromagnetic Compatibility Research and the Center for Subsurface Modeling and Characterization. His research focuses on the interactions between medical devices and electromagnetic fields. Dr. Chen is a Fellow of IEEE and AIMBE and has served as Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering since September 2024. He received the 2026 IEEE EMC Society Richard R. Stoddart Award for Outstanding Performance.