Nicole R. Villemarette-Pittman, PhD, is a Director of Clinical Research at Ochsner Health
in New Orleans. She joined Ochsner in January 2022 and oversees the Neuroscience Research Center of Excellence,
the Cardiology Research Center of Excellence, Ochsner BioDesign Lab, and the Clinical Research Internship. Dr.
Villemarette-Pittman is Co-Chair of the Investigator-Initiated Study Review Committee, Co-Chair of the Research
Advisory Council in Neuroscience, Co-lead of the Physician Research Steering Committee Finance Work Group,
Member of the Physician Research Steering Committee Communications Work Group, and Member of the Academic
Culture Committee. Dr. Villemarette-Pittman is an Associate Professor (Hon) at the University of Queensland
Medical School in Brisbane, Australia and Gratis Faculty at LSU Health Sciences Center - New Orleans, Department
of Neurology. She is a board member of the LA Epilepsy Foundation. Dr. Villemarette-Pittman and Dr. Fawad Khan
are co-founders of the Louisiana Epilepsy Care and Research Consortium. This nonprofit organization seeks to
build a society of professionals within the state of Louisiana that focuses on clinical care and research in the
epilepsy community. Dr. Villemarette-Pittman serves as Managing Editor of the international neurology journal,
Journal of the Neurological Sciences (JNS). JNS is the official journal of the World Federation of Neurology and
promotes global neurology, best practices, clinical outcomes, and basic and translational science.
View Dr. Villemarette-Pittman's
ScholarlyWork@Ochsner Profile.
Dr. Sarkar is double boarded in Neurology by the ABPN and Brain injury Medicine by ABMS. He joined the Ochsner Neurosciences Institute in 2015 and the New Orleans Veterans Affairs Hospital in 2016 and continues to have a clinical practice focused on neuro-rehabilitation. He serves as one of Ochsner's associate CMIO with a focus on the informatics of neuroscience and imaging. He founded and currently serves as the Clinical Director of Ochsner Neurosciences BioDesign Lab and contributes to Ochsner's efforts to innovate advanced visualization using Artificial Intelligence, 3D Printing and medical extended reality. He recently completed his Masters in Health Delivery Science at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles with a focus on digital health innovation. He strives to integrate 21st Century Tools to deliver 21st Century healthcare to our region.
Kimberly Hughes is a dedicated and results-driven Project Manager who brings a unique skill set to the healthcare industry. In her role, Kimberly leads cross-functional teams in the development and implementation of innovative healthcare solutions leveraging Agile methodologies. She has successfully spearheaded numerous projects that have significantly contributed to the operational excellence of Ochsner's BioDesign Lab. Her ability to create and optimize workflows has played a pivotal role in enhancing the lab's productivity and ensuring the delivery of high-quality patient care solutions. As a Lean Green Belt certified professional, she embodies efficiency, and as a proponent of Servant Leadership principles, she fosters a collaborative and effective team dynamic. Kimberly holds a BSBA in Hotel Management from the University of Southern Mississippi.
Colin Curtis holds a B.S.E. in Biomedical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University and specializes in using medical imaging to create 3D representations of patient-specific anatomy. These models, viewable on computer screens, in virtual reality, or as 3D prints, enhance healthcare providers' insights into complex medical conditions, aiming to improve patient outcomes. A significant portion of his work supports neurosurgery, where he integrates EEG and MRI data to localize seizures and generate 3D brain models for surgical planning. Additionally, Colin is advancing 3D printing techniques for surgical simulation and developing software to optimize lab workflows.
Alec is a self-taught immersive experience developer who has been creating applications within environments such as the Unity Engine since 2007. By combining this with experience in scientific 3D animation, he is able to leverage a hybrid of programming and artistic perspectives to improve user experience and design. With personal drives split between game development and philanthropic work, Alec is most fulfilled when designing and creating enjoyable and engaging experiences that provide measurable positive impact. Ochner's BioDesign Lab provides a unique opportunity to work with other impactful experts and provide Medical Extended Reality tools to help equip clinicians and improve patient well-being in engaging ways.
Vishal N. Bhimarasetty is an eclectic individual drawn to the intersection of multidisciplinary ideas and their practical application in clinical workflows. His work with the BioDesign Lab involves analyzing clinical data and creating requested 3D models of surgical specialties, including neurovascular surgery and liver transplant, for research and development. As the BioDesign Lab Ambassador, he has educated several K-12 schools on medical innovation and the application of the lab's work. Vishal obtained an undergraduate degree in Neuroscience at Purdue University and a master's degree in Medical Physiology at Tulane University School of Medicine.
Leonardo Seoane is assisting the BioDesign Lab in integrating machine learning tools into the clinical workflow as an Informatics Researcher. Leonardo has created neural networks that assist in complex segmentation tasks for use in surgical planning in a multitude of case types at Ochsner. His previous work includes internships at InnovationOchsner and Boston University Medical Center furthering projects in healthcare related computer vision. He holds an undergraduate degree in Computer Science from Villanova University and a master's degree in Artificial Intelligence at Boston University.
Rahim Abdul, a Year 2 medical student in the University of Queensland Ochsner MD program, combines a rich academic background in biomedical engineering and biophysics with extensive experience in medical research. His professional journey includes significant roles as a research statistician at Stony Brook University and as a clinical research coordinator in NYC. He has contributed substantially to the design, statistical planning, and analysis of the Lab's research including its work on advanced visualization in neuro-imaging and AR assisted lumbar puncture simulation. Currently, he is supporting the Lab's work exploring and validating Machine Learning (ML)-assisted segmentation in medical imaging.
Day in the life of a Biomedical Engineer
