RUIYANG GE
Research Associate
Co-director, Translational Neuroimaging Educational Program
Meet Dr. Ruiyang Ge, a Research Associate in the UBC Department of Psychiatry and a former Marshall Fellow bridging computational psychiatry with advanced neuroimaging techniques. Currently, he is spearheading the “CentileBrain” project, a groundbreaking initiative providing sex-specific normative models for brain structures.
He is also co-director of the Translational Neuroimaging Educational Program, a webinar program that hosts expert lectures and workshops on applying advanced analyses of neuroimaging data to brain health.
Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
I completed my doctoral degree in computer science at the National Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, and School of Artificial Intelligence at Beijing Normal University. Then, I relocated to Canada to embark on my post-doctoral career. My expertise lies in the intersection of computational psychiatry and advanced neuroimaging techniques. I am enthusiastic about fostering collaborations between computer and data science and the field of psychiatry.
Can you describe what kind of research you are involved in?
Throughout my career, I have built on my background in computer science and neuroimaging to investigate intricate associations between human behaviour and brain organization in health and disease. Currently, I am a researcher in computational psychiatry working with Dr. Sophia Frangou. In this role, I am responsible for conceptualizing, creating, and evaluating computational models for psychiatric research, utilizing state-of-the-art neuroimaging techniques.
Do you have any recent publications or other accomplishments that you would like to share?
Together with my research team, I have launched the CentileBrain platform (https://centilebrain.org/), an open-science, web-based resource for personalized neuroimaging metrics. Similar to the normative growth charts used in pediatric medicine to monitor child development in weight or height relative to chronological age, CentileBrain provides sex-specific normative models for brain structures. These models establish a mapping between brain morphometry and chronological age. Our first manuscript detailing the CentileBrain project was recently published in the Lancet Digital Health (https://doi.org/10.1016/S2589-7500(23)00250-9). Additionally, the application of our CentileBrain models to a clinical population is published in JAMA Psychiatry (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2810624).
Can you tell us about an interesting project or initiative you are working on at the moment?
I am co-directing a recently launched Translational Neuroimaging Educational Program, accessible at https://www.translational-neuro.org. This initiative aims to improve the utility of neuroimaging techniques for brain health by offering comprehensive training and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. Presently, our events have attracted the engagement of over 200 individuals from various corners of the globe, and this number continues to increase.
What are your interests and hobbies outside of work?
In addition to my professional pursuits, I am a passionate movie enthusiast, finding joy in exploring a diverse range of cinematic experiences. I am an ardent cat lover. The companionship and unique personality of my feline friend, Bart, hold a special place in my heart. I volunteer in the local cat sanctuary to take care of these occasionally naughty yet always endearing friends from time to time.
If you are an IMH member and would like to share more about yourself and your research with the community, please contact IMH Research Manager Dr. Nicole Sanford at nicole.sanford@ubc.ca.