Nicole Vike

Nicole Vike Profile Picture
Training Group:

Integrative Neuroscience

Mentor / Lab:

Talavage/Shi/Rispoli

Specific Research Area / Project:

Investigating and understanding metabolic dysfunction in contact sports athletes

Undergraduate Institution:

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Lab / Personal work-related websites:
Purdue Neurotrauma Group

Magnetic Resonance Biomedical Engineering Laboratory

Research Profile:

There has been an increasing interest in understanding sports-related traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Large efforts have been made to prevent, diagnose, and treat injuries; however, no methods have been developed that can accurately quantify and localize brain injury. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods, it is possible to noninvasively analyze neurometabolic profiles in animals and human subjects. My research uses MRI to 1) investigate novel biomarkers of TBI using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and 2) understand the predictability of metabolic changes using data from sensors that detect linear and angular head acceleration events during contact sports practice and competition.

(1) One potential biomarker for TBI is acrolein. Acrolein is a byproduct of lipid peroxidation and is released in the central nervous system when there is physical insult to myelin, which surrounds neurons. Acrolein has been shown to increase following TBI in animals models, but methods are largely sacrificial. Using MRS, we have observed that it is possible to detect and quantify acrolein in whole-brain phantom. Using results obtained from NMR experiments, we can adjust scanning parameters to increase the signal from acrolein. Ultimately, using acrolein, we can create a map of injury location and severity in the brain, providing a means to devise patient-specific rehabilitation and treatment plans and improve quality of life following TBI.

(2) MRI is costly, and may only be used when concussion is suspected. A more efficient way to track potential injury is to use senors which detect the force and direction of head impact events. However, these sensors have not been validated to accurately predict potential injury. We used MRI to study a cohort of 72 American football athletes before, during, and after the football season. Using data from MRS scans and sensors, we want to investigate whether varying head acceleration events can predict the degree of neurometabolic changes in athletes. If the sensors accurately predict the degree of metabolic change, they could be used to adjust return-to-play protocols and prevent further metabolic disturbances in athletes.

As a graduate student for the Purdue Neurotrauma Group, it is our goal to better predict, prevent, and understand physiological changes occurring in contact sports athletes in an effort to improve their safety and quality of life.

Nicole Vike Research Picture

About Me:

Upon completion of my undergraduate degree in neurobiology, I assumed I would go to medical school. However, while working in a hospital during my gap year, I decided this was NOT the path I wanted to take. After a minor quarter life crisis, I decided to follow in my great-uncles' footsteps (they are amazing scientists!) and apply to neuroscience PhD programs. I was sold as soon as I visited Purdue as an applicant into the PULSe program. I met amazing faculty and graduate students, and loved the progressive interdisciplinary nature of the program. After rotating my first year, I decided to work with 3 out of the 4 faculty members. This, alone, has been an amazing experience as I am doing research across multiple departments, working with numerous graduate students in different fields, and have learned more than I ever thought possible!

Awards:

  • Purdue Graduate School Travel Grant
  • ISMRM Travel Grant
  • Graduate School Summer Research Grant Recipient through Purdue College of Veterinary Medicine
  • Indiana Neuroimaging Symposium 1st place poster competition winner
  • Health and Disease: Science, Technology, Culture and Policy Research Poster Session winner
  • Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience Travel Grant
  • Purdue Graduate School Incentive Grant
  • Women in Science Travel Grant
  • Lynn Fellowship

Publications:

  • Sumra Bari, Enrico Amico, Nicole Vike, Thomas Talavage, Joaquin Goni. Uncovering multi-site identifiability based on resting-state functional connectomes. Brain Structure and Function: Submitted 09/03/18.
  • Xianglun Mao, Nicole Vike, Thomas Talavage, Joseph Rispoli, David Love. Multiple-input multiple-output MRI: Combining parallel transmission and parallel reception for enhanced imaging. Transactions on Computational Imaging: Submitted 07/04/18.

Presentations:

  • Nicole Vike, Kelsey Hopkins, Xin Li, Luis Solorio, Joseph Rispoli (2018), A pilot study of correlations between mean diffusivity and drug release over time for an implantable drug delivery system. 26th annual Intl. Soc. Mag. Res. Med., Paris, France. (oral)
  • Nicole Vike, Jonathan Tang, Riyi Shi, Joseph Rispoli (2018), Quantifying acrolein with MRS: a viable biomarker to assess location and severity of TBI. 26th annual Intl. Soc. Mag. Res. Med., Paris, France. (poster)
  • Nicole Vike, Jonathan Tang, Thomas Talavage, Riyi Shi, Joseph Rispoli (2018), Investigating Novel Biomarkers of Traumatic Brain Injury Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Greater Indiana Society for Neuroscience, Purdue University. (poster)
  • Nicole Vike, Kelsey Hopkins, Xin Li, Luis Solorio, Joseph Rispoli (2018), Measuring drug release out of implantable drug polymers using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Health and Disease: Science, Technology, Culture and Policy Research Symposium, Purdue University. (poster)
  • Nicole Vike, Jonathan Tang, Thomas Talavage, Riyi Shi, Joseph Rispoli (2017), Acrolein as a biomarker for non-invasively assessing concussion severity and location of injury. Indiana Neuroimaging Symposium, Purdue University. (poster)
  • Nicole Vike, Jonathan Tang, Thomas Talavage, Riyi Shi, Joseph Rispoli (2017), Magnetic resonance spectroscopy: A tool for assessing concussion injuries. SciX Conference, Reno, NV. (poster)
  • Nicole Vike, Jonathan Tang, Thomas Talavage, Riyi Shi, Joseph Rispoli (2017), Acrolein as a biomarker for assessing concussion severity and location of injury. Purdue Graduate School’s Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs Spring Reception, Purdue University. (poster)
  • Nicole Vike, Jonathan Tang, Thomas Talavage, Riyi Shi, Joseph Rispoli (2017), Acrolein as a biomarker for assessing concussion severity and location of injury. Greater Indiana Society for Neuroscience Conference, Indianapolis, IN. (poster)
  • Nicole Vike, Jonathan Tang, Thomas Talavage, Riyi Shi, Joseph Rispoli (2017), Acrolein as a biomarker for assessing concussion severity and location of injury. BME-PULSe Symposium, Purdue Univeristy. (poster)
  • Nicole Vike, Jonathan Tang, Thomas Talavage, Riyi Shi, Joseph Rispoli (2017), Acrolein as a biomarker for assessing concussion severity and location of injury. Health and Disease: Science, Technology, Culture and Policy Research Poster Session, Purdue University. (poster)
  • Nicole Vike, Jonathan Tang, Thomas Talavage, Riyi Shi, Joseph Rispoli (2017), Acrolein as a biomarker for assessing concussion severity and location of injury. Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering and Purdue University Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Program Research Symposium, Purdue University. (poster)
  • Nicole Vike, Jonathan Tang, Thomas Talavage, Riyi Shi, Joseph Rispoli (2016), Development of MRS Techniques to Detect Localized Levels of Acrolein: A Novel Approach to Diagnose Severity and Location of Concussion Injury. Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering Advisory Board, Purdue University. (poster)
  • Nicole Vike, Marcus Weera, Julia Chester (2015). Effects of bTBI on Alcohol Consumption and Locomotor Activity in HAP2 Adult Male Mice. PULSe Spring Reception for First Year Poster Competition, Purdue University. (poster)

Leadership:

  • The Purdue Association for Magnetic Resonance President (August 2017-Present); founding member
  • Science in Schools Spring Fest Co-Chair (August 2017-Present)
  • Women in Science Program Member (WISP) (September 2015-Present)
  • Purdue University Chapter for the Society of Applied Spectroscopy Secretary (February 2017-December 2017); founding member
  • PULSe Graduate Student Organization Secretary (July 2016-May 2017)

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