LEAPS-MPS: Advancement of Functional Data Inference with Applications to Neuroimaging

Indiana University, Bloomington IN

Investigators

Abstract

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2). Current brain imaging technologies advance our understanding of brain functionality and disorders such as autism spectrum disorder, Parkinson's disease, traumatic brain injury, and Alzheimer's disease. The research will push this important work forward to understand how a brain disorder develops with possible interaction with genetic variants. The research will provide training opportunities for students from the investigator's institution at all levels, including undergraduate, master, and Ph.D. students in mathematics and statistics. The training activities will help the participants to be prepared to continue their careers in industry and academia. The research will also promote broadening participation and increase the scientific workforce from underrepresented groups. In addition, the research will enhance the research infrastructure at the institution. The research aims to develop functional data analysis tools to understand the interaction between dynamic brain development and genetics and genomics. The investigator will exploit statistical inference methods in functional data classification and regression to identify the progression of some cognitive disorders. Four specific aims of the research will be investigated. The first aim is to study supervised projection based on the heterogeneity in mean and covariance for robust functional data classifiers. The second aim is to investigate parsimonious semiparametric reconstruction of individual spatial-temporal surfaces. The third aim is to study the correct incorporation of within-subject correlation for more efficient inference and testing for concurrent functional linear models. The last aim is to implement the methods through R packages to enhance scientific and technological understanding. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.