N21, University of Macau
tbc
(853) 8822 2456
ici.cogbrainsci@um.edu.mo

- PhD, Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University (2022)
- Master of Science, Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University (2017)
- Bachelor of Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Tsinghua University (2015)
- June 2023 – July 2025, Research Fellow, School of Computer Science, University of Birmingham
- Oct 2022 – May 2023, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University
- fNIRS 2024 Conference Community Excellence Award (2024)
- Carnegie Mellon Neuroscience Institute Presidential Fellowship (one-year tuition and stipend) (2019)
My main expertise is in EEG signal processing and diffuse optics (fNIRS, pulse oximetry, DOT, DCS, etc) with neuroscientific applications. More generally, I am a practitioner theorist interested in developing novel techniques for “accurate” and “efficient” non-invasive neuroengineering, specifically two topics: 1) multimodal neuroimaging and 2) neurostimulation. I’m interested in advancements in, e.g.,
- Algorithms for multimodal data fusion: how to combine information from different modalities for better inference
- Optimal sensor placement: where should one place the electrodes/optodes for the most accurate sensing/stimulation, given a region of interest
- Deep learning techniques in neuroimaging: how can we make the most out of undersampled and/or noisy data, where conventional methods can have poor performance
- Theoretical limits of non-invasive neuroengineering: what is the best resolution one can achieve when using, e.g., DOT and tES
- Mathematical modeling of biophysics: neuronal response to stimulation, photon propagation in tissue, etc
Utilizing the techniques optimized for both accuracy and efficiency, ultimately, I would like to enable portable monitoring and intervention that can be used for, e.g., rehabilitation, prognosis prediction, degenerative diseases, etc.
- J. Cao, J. Gorecki, R. Dale, C. Redwood-Sawyerr, C. Kontoravdi, K. Polizzi, C. J. Rowlands, and H. Dehghani. “Fluorescence diffuse optical monitoring of bioreactors: a hybrid deep learning and model-based approach for tomography”. In: Biomedical Optics Express 15.9 (2024), pp. 5009–5024.
- J. Cao, E. Bulger, B. Shinn-Cunningham, P. Grover, and J. M. Kainerstorfer. “Diffuse Optical Tomography Spatial Prior for EEG Source Localization in Human Visual Cortex”. In: NeuroImage (2023), p. 120210.
- J. Cao, P. Grover, and J. M. Kainerstorfer. “A model of neurovascular coupling and its application to cortical spreading depolarization”. In: Journal of Theoretical Biology 572 (2023), p. 111580.
- J. Cao, N. A. Mehta, J. Wu, S. Wood, J. M. Kainerstorfer, and P. Grover. “Scaling of Algorithmic Bias in Pulse Oximetry with Signal-to-Noise Ratio”. In: 2023 45th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine & Biology Society (EMBC). IEEE. 2023, pp. 1–4.
- J. Cao, T. J. Huppert, P. Grover, and J. M. Kainerstorfer. “Enhanced spatiotemporal resolution imaging of neuronal activity using joint electroencephalography and diffuse optical tomography”. In: Neurophotonics 8.1 (2021), p. 015002.
- J. Cao and P. Grover. “STIMULUS: Noninvasive dynamic patterns of neurostimulation using spatio-temporal interference”. In: IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering 67.3 (2019), pp. 726–737.