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Wesley B. Baker, PhD
45Assistant Professor of Neurology
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Department: Neurology
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Contact information
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3501 Civic Center Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19104
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Philadelphia, PA 19104
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Office: 8145713886
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Email:
bakerw@chop.edu
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bakerw@chop.edu
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Publications
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Links
e2 Search PubMed for articles
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e2 Search PubMed for articles
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Education:
21 7 BS 14 (Physics) c
2c Bucknell University, 2005.
21 8 PhD 14 (Physics) c
33 University of Pennsylvania, 2015.
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21 7 BS 14 (Physics) c
2c Bucknell University, 2005.
21 8 PhD 14 (Physics) c
33 University of Pennsylvania, 2015.
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Post-Graduate Training
24 63 Postdoc in Anesthesiology & Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania, 2015-2017.
24 63 Research Associate in Neurology , Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 2017-2020.
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Permanent link24 63 Postdoc in Anesthesiology & Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania, 2015-2017.
24 63 Research Associate in Neurology , Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 2017-2020.
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Description of Research Expertise
4fd I am a physicist with specialization in optics in biological tissues. In 2015, I received my PhD in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Pennsylvania under the supervision of Arjun Yodh. I then completed a 2-year postdoctoral fellowship mentored by W. Andrew Kofke in the department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Emergent themes from my previous work include (1) studying ischemic pathophysiology with diffuse optics, (2) formulating new analytical models/paradigms to improve the fidelity of cerebral hemodynamic data based on optical signals, and (3) devising new clinical applications for diffuse optics, such as non-invasive monitoring of cerebral perfusion pressure. As a researcher in biomedical optics, I aim to develop optical tools for clinical use. Broadly, I envision designing clinical research that furthers the prognostic utility of optical tools in the treatment of acute brain injury. I also envision harnessing cerebral hemodynamic data from optical measurements in human patients and pre-clinical animal models to illuminate etiologies of neurological injuries/disorders with the hope of establishing novel therapies (e.g., ischemic stroke, hydrocephalus).e 29
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14a Lewis A, Forti RM, Ko TS, Elmer E, McManus MJ, Yodh AG, Kilbaugh TJ, Baker WB: Optical and microdialysis monitoring of succinate prodrug treatment in a rotenone-induced model of mitochondrial dysfunction in swine. Metabolites 16(65): 16010065, January 2026.
186 Majeski JB, Forti RM, Chong SH, Aparanji S, Zhao M, Abramson K, Ramachandran NR, Srinivasan VJ, Baker WB, Yodh AG: Comparison of diffuse correlation spectroscopy, interferometric diffusing wave spectroscopy, and speckle contrast optical spectroscopy for blood flow monitoring. Neurophotonics 12(3): 035005, July 2025.
17e Baker WB, Forti RM, Ranieri N, Hurlock AM, Goto R, Anderson D, Lynch JM, Lang S, Flanders TM, Heuer G, Ko TS, White BR: Low Frequency Power in Cerebral Blood Flow Detects Impaired Oxygen Metabolism in Neonatal Hydrocephalus. SPIE Photonics West: Clinical and Translational Neurophotonics Page: 13302-21, 2025.
155 Emani VS, Ozturk C, Singh M, Long C, Duffy S, Gottlieb Sen D, Roche ET, Baker WB: Finite element modeling of abdominal near-infrared spectroscopy for infant splanchnic oximetry. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Biomedical Engineering 41(4): e70035, 2025.
174 Baker WB, Hurlock AM, Mcintosh C, Zhao H, Davis C, Anderson D, Bayle B, Goto R, Mulvihill C, Forti RM, Ko TS, White BR, Lynch JM.: Non-invasive Optical Assessment of Central Venous Pressure in Children with Single-Ventricle Heart Defects. European Conferences on Biomedical Optics Page: S2F.2, 2025.
19b Baker WB, Hurlock AM, Mcintosh C, Zhao H, Davis C, Anderson D, Bayle B, Goto R, Forti RM, Ko TS, White BR, Lynch JM. Optica Biophotonics Congress Apr 2025.: Optical Monitoring Reveals Increased Intracranial Pressure After the Glenn Surgery in Children with Single-Ventricle Heart Defects. Optica Biophotonics Congress Page: BTu1B.2, 2025.
1ca Rosenthal ZP, Majeski JB, Somarowthu A, Quinn DK, Lindquist BE, Putt ME, Karaj A, Favilla CG, Baker WB, Hosseini G, Rodriguez JP, Cristancho MA, Sheline YI, William Shuttleworth C, Abbott CC, Yodh AG, Goldberg EM. Nat Commun. 2025 May 18;16(1):4619. : Electroconvulsive therapy generates a postictal wave of spreading depolarization in mice and humans. Nat Commun. 18(16): 4619, 2025.
191 Andersen KN, Yao S, White BR, Jacobwitz M, Breimann J, Jahnavi J, Schmidt A, Baker WB, Ko TS, Gaynor JW, Vossough A, Xiao R, Licht DJ, Shih EK.: Cerebral Microhemorrhages in Children With Congenital Heart Disease: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Association With Neurodevelopmental Outcomes. J Am Heart Assoc 14(3): e035359, 2025.
1a0 Ko TS, Greenwood JC, Morgan RW, Abella BS, Shofer FS, Mason M, Weintraub D, Bungatavula D, Lewis A, Ranieri NR, Yodh AG, Baker WB, Forti RM, Kao SH, Shin SS, Kilbaugh TJ, Jang DH: Attenuation of mitochondrial dysfunction in a ventricular fibrillation swine model of cardiac arrest treated with carbon monoxide. Resuscitation 213: 110647, 2025.
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Selected Publications
1d6 Silva LEV, Gaudio HA, Padmanabhan B, Forti RM, Shi L, Mason M, Sueishi T, Kirschen MP, Baker WB, Kilbaugh TJ, Morgan RW, Tsui FR, Ko TS: Machine Learning-Based Return of Spontaneous Circulation Prediction During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in a Swine Model of Cardiac Arrest: Effect of Data Resolution and Multimodal Physiological Waveforms. Critical Care Medicine 54(2): 257-269, February 2026.14a Lewis A, Forti RM, Ko TS, Elmer E, McManus MJ, Yodh AG, Kilbaugh TJ, Baker WB: Optical and microdialysis monitoring of succinate prodrug treatment in a rotenone-induced model of mitochondrial dysfunction in swine. Metabolites 16(65): 16010065, January 2026.
186 Majeski JB, Forti RM, Chong SH, Aparanji S, Zhao M, Abramson K, Ramachandran NR, Srinivasan VJ, Baker WB, Yodh AG: Comparison of diffuse correlation spectroscopy, interferometric diffusing wave spectroscopy, and speckle contrast optical spectroscopy for blood flow monitoring. Neurophotonics 12(3): 035005, July 2025.
17e Baker WB, Forti RM, Ranieri N, Hurlock AM, Goto R, Anderson D, Lynch JM, Lang S, Flanders TM, Heuer G, Ko TS, White BR: Low Frequency Power in Cerebral Blood Flow Detects Impaired Oxygen Metabolism in Neonatal Hydrocephalus. SPIE Photonics West: Clinical and Translational Neurophotonics Page: 13302-21, 2025.
155 Emani VS, Ozturk C, Singh M, Long C, Duffy S, Gottlieb Sen D, Roche ET, Baker WB: Finite element modeling of abdominal near-infrared spectroscopy for infant splanchnic oximetry. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Biomedical Engineering 41(4): e70035, 2025.
174 Baker WB, Hurlock AM, Mcintosh C, Zhao H, Davis C, Anderson D, Bayle B, Goto R, Mulvihill C, Forti RM, Ko TS, White BR, Lynch JM.: Non-invasive Optical Assessment of Central Venous Pressure in Children with Single-Ventricle Heart Defects. European Conferences on Biomedical Optics Page: S2F.2, 2025.
19b Baker WB, Hurlock AM, Mcintosh C, Zhao H, Davis C, Anderson D, Bayle B, Goto R, Forti RM, Ko TS, White BR, Lynch JM. Optica Biophotonics Congress Apr 2025.: Optical Monitoring Reveals Increased Intracranial Pressure After the Glenn Surgery in Children with Single-Ventricle Heart Defects. Optica Biophotonics Congress Page: BTu1B.2, 2025.
1ca Rosenthal ZP, Majeski JB, Somarowthu A, Quinn DK, Lindquist BE, Putt ME, Karaj A, Favilla CG, Baker WB, Hosseini G, Rodriguez JP, Cristancho MA, Sheline YI, William Shuttleworth C, Abbott CC, Yodh AG, Goldberg EM. Nat Commun. 2025 May 18;16(1):4619. : Electroconvulsive therapy generates a postictal wave of spreading depolarization in mice and humans. Nat Commun. 18(16): 4619, 2025.
191 Andersen KN, Yao S, White BR, Jacobwitz M, Breimann J, Jahnavi J, Schmidt A, Baker WB, Ko TS, Gaynor JW, Vossough A, Xiao R, Licht DJ, Shih EK.: Cerebral Microhemorrhages in Children With Congenital Heart Disease: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Association With Neurodevelopmental Outcomes. J Am Heart Assoc 14(3): e035359, 2025.
1a0 Ko TS, Greenwood JC, Morgan RW, Abella BS, Shofer FS, Mason M, Weintraub D, Bungatavula D, Lewis A, Ranieri NR, Yodh AG, Baker WB, Forti RM, Kao SH, Shin SS, Kilbaugh TJ, Jang DH: Attenuation of mitochondrial dysfunction in a ventricular fibrillation swine model of cardiac arrest treated with carbon monoxide. Resuscitation 213: 110647, 2025.
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