Dr, Ronen obtained his Ph.D. in physical chemistry at Tel Aviv University and was a post-doctoral fellow at the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research at the University of Minnesota. A physical chemist with a special interest in NMR/MRI, Dr. Ronen is particularly interested the development of bioimaging methods that are relevant to neuroscience research. Two of the main goals pursued in Ronen's lab are:

1. Investigating the relation between neuronal tissue structure and its MRI correlate. In particular, the connection between water compartments in tissue in brain gray and white matter and the properties of the diffusion-weighted MR signal that originates from these compartments. The research includes the development of new MRI acquisition tools and processing tools, comparative analysis with histological data from the same tissue and development of a theoretical model that best describes the MR results in terms of the various tissue parameters.
2. Establishing a multimodal MRI correlate of brain morphological and neurophysiological changes due to drug use and additction in monkeys. This is a new initiative that will be carried out in collaboration with the Harvard University Primate Center, and involves a comprehensive MRI study of a large population of monkeys that will be subjected to a highly controlled self administration regiment of cocaine.

Other research goals that are or will be pursued in the lab are (a) development of MR methods for the direct detection of neuronal activation using direct or indirect non-proton MR; (b) assessment of neuronal density using MR tools such as MRS and diffusion MRI. Dr. Ronen will co-direct a new educational initiative at BUSM: the Master's Degree Program in Bioimaging. The program will provide in-depth knowledge in the broad spectrum of state-of-the-art bioimaging methods available to us today, and will provide the student with the skills that are necessary for performing research in this extremely dynamic and exciting field.