Brian A. Taylor, Ph.D.
Department of Imaging Physics, Division of Diagnostic Imaging
About Dr. Brian A. Taylor
Brian A. Taylor, Ph.D., DABR is an Associate Professor in the Department of Imaging Physics. He is a licensed medical physicist with board certification in Diagnostic Medical Physics from the American Board of Radiology. He provides clinical physics support for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound operations for MD Anderson in the Division of Diagnostic Imaging.
Dr. Taylor received his Ph.D. in Medical Physics from The University of Texas Health Science Center and MD Anderson Cancer Center Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in 2010. He also received postdoctoral training in translational imaging research using MRI at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. His work has been recognized both locally and nationally including the Aaron M. Blanchard Research Award in Medical Physics, American College of Medical Physics Graduate Student Award, and being named a Sowell-Huggins Scholar in Cancer Research. In 2019, Dr. Taylor became a member of the Council of Early Career Investigators in Imaging at The Academy for Radiology and Biomedical Imaging Research.
Dr. Taylor has been a primary investigator or co-investigator in several research studies funded by sources including the National Institutes of Health and US Department of Veterans Affairs. His research focus is the development of MRI technology and image processing techniques to aid not only in the diagnosis of cancer, but also in planning treatments, in evaluating treatment response and in measuring the long-term effects of cancer and cancer therapy. This includes using advanced neuroimaging to better understand changes in cognition and behavior after cancer therapy and in individuals with traumatic brain injuries or substance use disorders.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Imaging Physics, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Faculty, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX
Research Interests
Advanced neuroimaging. Quantitative MR imaging. Using imaging to help understand cognition and behavior.
Clinical Interests
Neuroimaging. Development and standardization of imaging protocols. Functional MRI and tractography for neurosurgery. Clinical support and quality assurance in MRI and ultrasound. Cardiac MRI.
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2010 | The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center - UTHealth, Houston, TX, USA, PHD, Medical Physics |
| 2005 | Union University, Jackson, TN, USA, BS, Mathematics and Physics |
Postgraduate Training
| 2010-2012 | Postdoctoral Fellowship, Translational Imaging Research, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN |
Board Certifications
| 2016 | American Board of Radiology in Diagnostic Medical Physics |
Experience & Service
Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Scientific Review Committee, 2022 - Present
Member, Faculty Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council, 2021 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2019 | Council of Early Career Investigators in Imaging, The Academy for Radiology and Biomedical Imaging Research |
| 2015 | Outstanding Young Alumnus of the Year, Union University |
| 2011 | Aaron Blanchard Research Award in Medical Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2010 | Andrew Sowell-Wade Huggins Scholarship in Cancer Research |
| 2009 | Graduate Student Award, American College of Medical Physics |
| 2005 | The Elizabeth Tigrett Medal, Union University |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Ma L, Cunningham KA, Anastasio NC, Bjork JM, Taylor BA, Arias AJ, Riley BP, Snyder AD, Moeller FG. A serotonergic biobehavioral signature differentiates cocaine use disorder participants administered mirtazapine. Nature Transl Psychiatry 12(1):187, 2022. PMID: 35523779.
- Dennis EL, Taylor BA, Newsome MR, Troyanskaya M, Abildskov TJ, Betts AM, Bigler ED, Cole J, Davenport N, Duncan T, Gill J, Guedes V, Hinds SR, Hovenden ES, Kenney K, Pugh MJ, Scheibel RS, Shahim PP, Shih R, Walker WC, Werner K, York GE, Cifu DX, Tate DF, Wilde EA. Advanced brain age in deployment-related traumatic brain injury: A LIMBIC-CENC neuroimaging study. Brain Injury, 2022.
- Tate DF, Dennis EL, Adams, JT, Adamson MM, Belanger, HG, Bigler, ED, Bouchard HC, Clark AL, Delano-Wood LM, Disner SG, Eapen BC, Franz CE, Geuze E, Goodrich-Hunsaker NJ, Han K, Hayes JP, Hinds II SR, Hodges CB, Hovenden ES, Irimia A, Kenney K, Koerte IK, Kremen WS, Levin HS, Lindsey HM, Morey RA, Newsome MR, Ollinger J, Pugh MJ, Scheibel RS, Shenton ME, Sullivan DR, Taylor BA, Troyanskaya M, Velez C, Wade BSC, Wang X, Ware AL, Zafonte R, Thompson PM, Wilde EA. Coordinating Global Multi-Site Studies of Military-Relevant Traumatic Brain Injury. Brain Imaging Behav, 2021.
- Wilde EA, Goodrich-Hunsaker NJ, Ware AL, Taylor BA, Biekman BD, Hunter JV, Newman-Norland R, Scarneo S, Casa DJ, Levin HS. DTI indicators of White Matter Injury are Correlated with Multimodal EEG-based Biomarkers in Slow Recovering, Concussed Collegiate Athletes. J Neurotrauma 37(19):2093-2101, 2020.
- Bigler ED, Skiles M, Wade BSC, Abildskov TJ, Tustison NJ, Scheibel RS, Newsome MR, Mayer AR, Stone JR, Taylor BA, Tate DF, Walker WC, Levin HS, Wilde EA.. FreeSurfer 5.3 versus 6.0: are volumes comparable? A Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium study. Brain Imaging Behav 14(5):1318-1327, 2020.
- Ma L, Steinberg JL, Bjork JM, Taylor BA, Arias AJ, Terplan M, Anastasio NC, Zuniga EA, Lennon M, Cunningham KA, Moeller FG. Cingulo-hippocampal Effective Connectivity Positively Correlates with Drug-cue Attentional Bias in Opioid use Disorder. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 294:110977, 2019.
- Bigler ED, Abildskov TJ, Eggleston B, Taylor BA, Tate DF, Petrie JA, Newsome MR, Scheibel RS, Levin HS, Walker WC, Gooodrich-Hunsaker N, Tustison NJ, Stone JR, Mayer AR, Duncan TD, York GE, Wilde EA.. Structural Neuroimaging of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A chronic effects of neurotrauma study. Int J Methods Psychiatr Res 28(3):e1781, 2019.
- Wilde EA, Provenzale JM, Taylor BA, Boss M, Zuccolotto A, Hachey R, Pathak S, Tate DF, Abildskov TJ, Schneider W.. Assessment of Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging Metrics in the Brain through the Use of a Novel Phantom. Brain Inj 32(10):1266-1276, 2018.
- Newsome MR, Wilde EA, Bigler ED, Liu Q, Mayer AR, Taylor BA, Steinberg JL, Tate DF, Abildskov TJ, Scheibel RS, Walker WC, Levin HS. Functional Brain Connectivity and Cortical Thickness in Relation to Chronic Pain in Post-911 Veterans and Service Members with mTBI. Brain Inj 32(10):1236-1244, 2018.
- Provenzale JM, Taylor BA, Wilde EA, Boss M, Schneider W. Analysis of Variability of Fractional Anisotropy Values at 3T Using a Novel Diffusion Tensor Imaging Phantom. Neuroradiol J 31(16):1236-1244, 2018.
- Savjani RS, Taylor BA, Acion L, Wilde EA, Jorge RE. Accelerated Changes in Cortical Thickness Measurements in Military Service Members with Traumatic Brain Injury. Jour Neurotrauma 34(22):3107-3116, 2017.
- Stone JR, Wilde EA, Taylor BA, Tate DF, Levin H, Bigler ED, Scheibel RS, Newsome MR, Mayer AR, Abildskov T, Black GM, Lennon MJ, York GE, Agarwal R, DeVillasante J, Ritter JL, Walker PB, Ahlers ST, Tustison NJ. Supervised Learning Technique for the Automated Identification of White Matter Hyperintensities in Traumatic Brain Injury. Brain Injury 30(12):1458-1468, 2016.
- Wilde EA, Bigler ED, Huff T, Wang H, Black GM, Christensen Z, Goodrich-Hunsaker N, Petrie J, and CENC Neuroimaging Core Investigators including Abildskov T, Taylor BA, Stone JR, Tustison NJ, Newsome MR, Levin HS, Chu ZD, York GE, Tate DF. Quantitative Structural Neuroimaging of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in the Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium (CENC): Comparison of Volumetric Data within and across Scanners. Brain Injury 30(12):1442-1451, 2016.
- Newsome MR, Li X, Lin X, Wilde EA, Ott S, Biekman B, Hunter JV, Dash PK, Taylor BA, Levin HS. Functional Connectivity is Altered in Concussed Adolescents Athletes Despite Medical Clearance to Return to Play: A Preliminary Report. Front Neurol 15(7):116, 2016.
- Newsome MR, Mayer AR, Lin X, Jackson GR, Scheibel RS, Walder A, Sathiyaraj A, Wilde EA, Mukhi S, Taylor BA, Levin HS. Chronic Effects of Blast-Related TBI on Subcortical Functional Connectivitiy in Veterans. Jour Intern Neuropsych Soc, 2016.
- Mackin D, Fave X, Zhang L, Fried D, Yang J, Taylor BA, Rodriguez-Rivera E, Dodge C, Jones AK, Court L. Measuring Computed Tomography Scanner Variability of Radiomics Features. Invest Radiol 50(11):757-65, 2015.
- Winchell AM, Taylor BA, Song R, Loeffler RB, Grundlehner P, Hankins JS, Wang WC, Ogg RJ, Hillenbrand CM, Helton KJ. Evaluation of SWI in Children with Sickle Cell Disease. American Journal of Neuroradiology 35(5):1016-21, 2014.
- Taylor BA, Loeffler RB, Song R, McCarville ME, Hankins JS, Hillenbrand CM. Automated T(2) * Measurements Using Supplementary Field Mapping to Assess Cardiac Iron Content. J Magn Reson Imaging 38(2):441-7, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23292658.
- Lin JS, Hwang KP, Jackson EF, Hazle JD, Stafford RJ, Taylor BA. Multiparametric Fat-Water Separation Method for Fast Chemical Shift Imaging Guidance of Thermal Therapies. Medical Physics 40(10):103302, 2013.
- Taylor BA, Loeffler RB, Song R, McCarville MB, Hankins JS, Hillenbrand CM. Simultaneous Field and R2 Mapping to Quantify Liver Iron Content Using Autoregressive Moving Average Modeling. J Magn Reson Imaging 35(5):1125-32, 2012. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 22180325.
- Taylor BA, Elliott AM, Hwang KP, Hazle JD, Stafford RJ. Correlation Between the Temperature Dependence of Intrinsic MR Parameters and Thermal Dose Measured by a Rapid Chemical Shift Imaging Technique. NMR Biomed 24(10):1414-21, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21721063.
- Taylor BA, Elliott AM, Hwang KP, Shetty A, Hazle JD, Stafford RJ. Measurement of Temperature Dependent Changes in Bone Marrow Using a Rapid Chemical Shift Imaging Technique. J Magn Reson Imaging 33(5):1128-35, 2011. PMID: 21509871.
- Melancon MP, Elliott A, Ji X, Shetty A, Yang Z, Tian M, Taylor BA, Stafford RJ, Li C. Theranostics with Multifunctional Magnetic Gold Nanoshells: Photothermal Therapy and t2* Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Invest Radiol 46(2):132-40, 2011. PMID: 21150791.
- Taylor BA, Hwang KP, Hazle JD, Stafford RJ. Autoregressive Moving Average Modeling for Spectral Parameter Estimation from a Multigradient Echo Chemical Shift Acquisition. Med Phys 36(3):753-64, 2009. PMID: 19378736.
- Taylor BA, Hwang KP, Elliott AM, Shetty A, Hazle JD, Stafford RJ. Dynamic Chemical Shift Imaging for Image-guided Thermal Therapy: Analysis of Feasibility and Potential. Med Phys 35(2):793-803, 2008. PMID: 18383702.
Invited Articles
- Wilde EA, Bouix S, Tate DF, Lin AP, Newsome MR, Taylor BA, Stone J.R., Montier J., Gandy S.E., Biekman B.. Advanced Neuroimaging Applied to Veterans and Service Personnel with Traumatic Brain Injury: State of the Art and Potential Benefits. Brain Imaging Behav 9(3):367-402, 2015.
Abstracts
- Newsome MR, Liu Q, Wilde EA, Steinberg JL, Scheibel RS; Levin H, Tate DF, Martindale-Supak S, Davenport N, Hodges CB, Rowland J, Kenney K, Werner JK, Mayer AR, Taylor BA, Jaramillo C, & Walker WC. Aberrant Striatal Functional Connectivity in Relation to Walking in Veterans with mTBI. The Organization for Human Brain Mapping 2022, Glasgow, Scotland, 2022.
- Newsome MR, Liu Q, Wilde EA, Steinberg JL, Scheibel RS; Levin H, Tate DF, Martindale-Supak S, Davenport N, Hodges CB, Rowland J, Kenney K, Werner JK, Mayer AR, Taylor BA, Jaramillo C, & Walker WC. Aberrant Striatal Functional Connectivity in Relation to Walking in Veterans with mTBI. 15th International Neurotrauma Symposium, Berlin, Germany, 2022.
- Taylor BA, Chen H, Liu HL, Yung JP, Hou P, Brock K, Stafford RJ. Commissioning of Commercial Quantitative R2* Mapping Software for Clinical Use. American Association of Physicists in Medicine Annual Meeting, 2021.
- Ma L, Steinberg JL. Bjork JM, Taylor BA, Arias AJ, Terplan M, Anastasio NC, Zuniga EA, Lennon M, Cunningham KA, Moeller FG. Cingulo-hippocampal effective connectivity and drug cue related attentional bias in opioid use disorder. The College on Problems of Drug Dependence. San Antonio, 2019.
- Vassileva J, Shahidi R, Taylor BA, Moeller FG, Ahn WY. Machine learning identifies common and specific markers of alcohol, cannabis, and nicotine dependence. The College on Problems of Drug Dependence. San Antonio, 2019.
- Taylor BA. Advanced Brain Imaging Tools: Applications in Opioid Addiction and Traumatic Brain Injury. Medical Imaging Technology Showcase at Capitol Hill. Washington, DC, 2019.
- Dennis EL, Wilde EA, Newsome MR, Scheibel RS, Troyanskaya M, Velez C, Wade BSC, Drennon AM, York GE, Bigler ED, Abildskov TJ, Taylor BA, Jaramillo CA, Eapen B, Belanger H, Gupta V, Morey R, Haswell C, Levin HS, Hinds SR, Walker WC, Thompson PM, Tate DF. ENIGMA military brain injury: A coordinated meta-analysis of diffusion MRI from multiple cohorts. 2018 IEEE 15th International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging (ISBI 2018):1386-1389, 2018. e-Pub 2018.
- Taylor BA. Bayesian Hierarchical Modeling of Volumetric and Diffusion Imaging Findings Among Veterans: A Chronic Effects of Neurotruama Consortium (CENC) Study. Military Health Science Research Symposium, 2017.
- Taylor BA. Functional Connectivity Differences in Combat-Related and Pre-Combat-Related Mild TBI: A Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium Study. Military Health Science Research Symposium, 2017.
- Taylor BA. Quantifying and Correcting Scanner Systematic Error to Improve MRI Diffusion Measurement of TBI through MRI Reference Phantom Based Calibration. Military Health Science Research Symposium, 2017.
- Taylor BA. Association of Brain White Matter Hyperintensities with Historical mTBI: Interim Report from the Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium (CENC). Military Health Science Research Symposium, 2017.
- Taylor BA, Savjani RS, Acion L, Wilde EA, Jorge RE. Accelerated Changes in Cortical Thickness in Military Service Members with Traumatic Brain Injury. World Congress on Brain Injury. New Orleans, LA, 2017.
- Tipirneni-Sajja A, Krafft AJ, Taylor BA, Loeffler RB, Song R, Artz N, Hankins JS, Hillenbrand CM. Simultaneous Iron and Fat Quantification Using an Auto Regressive Moving Average Model at 1.5T and 3T. Annual Meeting of the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 2017.
- Taylor BA, Savjani RS, Acion L, Wilde EA, Jorge RE. Machine Learning Classification of TBI in US Service Members and Veterans. World Congress on Brain Injury. The Hague, Netherlands, 2016.
Book Chapters
- Wilde, EA, Taylor BA, Jorge, RE. Brain Morphometric Techniques Applied to the Study of Traumatic Brain Injury. In: Brain Morphometry. Eds. G. Spalletta, F. Piras, and T. Gili. Humana Press, 2018.
- Stafford, RJ, Taylor BA. Practical Clinical Thermometry. In: Physics of Thermal Therapy: Fundamentals and Clinical Applications. Ed E. Moros. CRC Press. Taylor and Francis Group LLC, 2012.