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UID:69d7709f2f5ec
DTSTART:20251205T090000Z
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TRANSP:OPAQUE
LOCATION:ICFO Auditorium
SUMMARY:ICFO | FARUK BESLIJA
CLASS:PUBLIC
DESCRIPTION:The generation of energy in the human body relies on oxygen met
 abolism\, determined by oxygen delivery through blood flow and extraction 
 at the tissue level. Reliable assessment of these parameters is crucial fo
 r understanding physiological function and tissue adaptations under variou
 s stimuli. Conventional monitoring tools for blood flow and oxygen saturat
 ion face trade-offs between cost\, portability\, and technical limitations
  (depth\, resolution\, dynamics)\, restricting their real-time deep-tissue
  use.\nThis thesis advances diffuse optics\, a non-invasive\, safe\, scala
 ble approach exploiting light diffusion in scattering media\, and introduc
 es methodological and instrumental innovations for monitoring blood flow a
 nd oxygenation in adult skeletal muscle and brain&mdash\;two of the most o
 xygen-demanding organs.\nPart I investigated long-term physiological adapt
 ations in forearm muscles of advanced rock climbers versus healthy control
 s. Rock climbing requires exceptional grip endurance\, making it an ideal 
 model for localized neuromuscular and hemodynamic adaptations to chronic t
 raining. Two protocols were applied: (1) a resting vascular occlusion test
  (VOT) combining near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS\, oxygenation) and diffu
 se correlation spectroscopy (DCS\, blood flow)\, and (2) an intermittent g
 rip endurance test measuring force\, NIRS\, and electromyography (EMG). Re
 sults showed climbers had faster blood flow recovery and higher hemoglobin
  concentrations after occlusion\, indicating enhanced vascular response. D
 uring exercise\, they maintained force longer and used oxygen more efficie
 ntly. However\, steady-state measures revealed no significant inter-group 
 differences\, suggesting adaptations are demand-driven rather than evident
  at rest. This study is novel in (1) applying DCS to climbing physiology a
 nd (2) integrating mechanical\, neuromuscular\, and hemodynamic measures i
 n one framework.\nPart II focused on high-density (HD) cerebral blood flow
  (CBF) mapping\, a key marker of brain metabolism. Current systems are bul
 ky\, costly\, and clinical-only. We developed a new diffuse optics platfor
 m using speckle contrast optical spectroscopy (SCOS) and its tomographic e
 xtension (SCOT)\, leveraging cost-effective CMOS technology to improve sig
 nal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and scalability while retaining cortical sensitiv
 ity. A fiber-based prototype validated signal quality and flow sensitivity
  in forearm and forehead tests. Building on this\, we designed a full-scal
 e HD-SCOT system\, nearing completion\, intended for real-time\, non-invas
 ive mapping of CBF over large cortical areas (e.g.\, visual cortex).\nFina
 l contribution: a proof-of-concept SCOS extension enabling simultaneous bl
 ood flow and oxygenation measurement. Using multiple wavelengths\, source-
 detector separations\, and exposure times\, it offers a simplified alterna
 tive to dual NIRS-DCS systems. Preliminary forearm tests confirmed feasibi
 lity\, suggesting applications in muscle and brain monitoring.\nIn summary
 \, this thesis advances diffuse optical monitoring by developing new instr
 uments and methodologies for deep-tissue hemodynamics. Applications in spo
 rt physiology and neuroimaging highlight the potential of multi-modal\, hi
 gh-density optical systems to deepen understanding of oxygen metabolism in
  naturalistic\, real-time contexts\, paving the way for broader physiologi
 cal and clinical applications.\nFriday December 5\, 10:00 h. ICFO Auditori
 um \nThesis Director: Prof. Dr. Turgut Durduran and Dr. Blai Ferrer Uris
DTSTAMP:20260409T092551Z
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