Thomas Vaughan

J. Thomas "Tommy" Vaughan, Jr.

Professor of Biomedical Engineering; Professor of Radiology (Physics)

J. "Thomas" Vaughan was recruited to Columbia University to found the new Columbia Magnetic Resonance Research Center (CMRRC). https://mr.research.columbia.edu/. This Center, a work-in-progress is making innovative use of cloud connectivity and data sharing to bring together the talent, applications, equipment and resources from six Columbia-affiliated schools and institutions to further science on more impactful scales.

Specifically, Columbia's Schools of Physicians and Surgeons, Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Arts and Sciences partner with the Zuckerman Mind, Brain, Behavior Institute, the New York State Psychiatric Institute, and the Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research to form the Center. Dr. Vaughan has made a career of working with teams to found and build some of the world’s premier MR research centers based in turn on the most innovative technologies of his design.

He was Lead Engineer for the first 2 tesla MR system at UT Southwestern in Dallas, and the first 4 tesla MR system with Philips Forshungslabor Hamburg which was delivered to the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1990. As Director of Engineering at the MGH, he authored and co-PIed the first grant for a human 7T system and assembled the team many of whom are still there today at the Martinos Center.

As Assistant Professor in Radiology at Harvard, he was awarded a combined NSF+NIH grant to build the first 9.4 T human imager for Harvard’s New England Primate Research Center. Seeing the closing of that center and accepting an invitation to site that 9.4T magnet in Minnesota, Vaughan accepted an offer to be the Engineering Core PI to build the first 7T and 9.4T human systems and to help build the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research around them, still the most significant MR Research Center today.

Before departing the CMRR, Vaughan and his engineering team reached one more benchmark, the world’s first and only 10.5T MR system. Dr. Vaughan brought a vision and a plan to New York to reach even higher. Columbia, especially in league NKI and the Greater New York community has tremendous breadth and depth in talent and resources, especially in neuroimaging and the neurosciences. This is already being demonstrated by our recent acquisition of a 9.4T magnet for human neuroimaging and substantial awards from the NSF and NYS to build and site a second-generation neuroimager at the NYS Nathan Kline Institute with the aim of becoming the James Webb telescope for the human mind and brain.

Additionally, Dr. Vaughan has proposed and pioneered the development of MRI systems meeting WHO criteria for global accessibility. Beginning with developing a head-only system at the University of Minnesota, he and his colleagues continue to pursue the vision of a whole-body clinical imager and suite that can be manufactured affordably, delivered and supported sustainably, and operated autonomously anywhere in the world. Dr. Vaughan has authored 150 articles, three books, eight chapters and 62 patents, most of them licensed. He is fellow in his main societies, IEEE, ISMRM and AIMBE.

Research Areas

  • Neuroengineering
  • Bioelectronics
  • Bioinstrumentation
  • Biomedical Imaging
  • Medical Devices and Systems
  • Analog Devices
  • Electromagnetics
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging Systems and Applications

Additional information

  • Professional Experience
    • Adjunct Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Tuskegee University, 2024 -
    • Research Scientist, High Field MR Lab Director, New York State, Nathan Kline Psychiatric Research Institute, 2017 -
    • Director of Columbia MR Research Center, 2019 - 
      PI and MR Platform Director, Zuckerman Mind, Brain, Behavior Institute, Columbia University, 2016 -
    • Professor of Radiology (Physics), College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University, 2016 -
    • Professor of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, Columbia University, 2016 -
    • Professor of Radiology (Physics), University of Minnesota, 2005-2016
    • Professor of Biomedical Engineering, University of MInnesota, 2005-2016
    • Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota, 2005-2016
    • Associate Professor of Radiology, University of Minnestoa, 1999-2005
    • Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 1999-2005
    • Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota, 1999-2005
    • Research Scientist, New England Regional Primate Research Center : School of Medicine, Harvard University 1997-1999
    • Assistant Professor of Radiology, Harvard University, Harvard University, 1995-1999
    • Assistant in Physics, Massachusetts General Hospital, 1995-1999
    • Director of Engineering, Massachusetts General Hospital Martinos Center, 1995-1999
    • Assistant Professor in Biomedical Engineering, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1994-1995
    • Chief Biomedical Engineer, Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1989-1995
    • Radiofrequency Scientist, Techincal Systems, Philips Research Laboratory, Hamburg Germany, 1989-1993
    • Radiofrequency Research Engineer, Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 1984-1989
    • Electrical Design Engineer, Advanced Systems Division, Texas Instruments, Dallas 1982-1984
    • Co-op Engineer, Digital Electronics Design Division NASA, Kennedy Space Center: Digital Electronics Design Division, 1979-1982
  • Professional Affiliations
    • Fellow, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
    • Fellow, International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM)
    • Fellow, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineers (AIMBE)Senior Member,
    • Senor Member Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)
  • Honors & Awards
    • Elected Board of Trustees, ISMRM
    • Multiple Nominations for Gold Medal, ISMRM
    • Quist-Henline Chair in Biomedical Research, University of Minnesota
    • Fellow, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
    • Fellow, International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM)
    • Fellow, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineers (AIMBE)
    • Elected Board of Trustees, ISMRM
    • Twice nominated ISMRM Gold Medal
    • 1993 Engineering and BME Outstanding Graduate Student awards, UAB
    • Phi Beta Pi, Arts and Sciences Honor Society
    • Tau Beta Pi, Engineering Honor Society
    • Eta Kappa Nu, Electrical Engineering Honor Society
    • Pi Mu Epsilon, Mathematics Honor Society
  • Education
    • PhD, Biomedical Engineering, University of Alabama at Birmingham
    • BS, Electrical Engineering, Auburn University
    • BS, Biology, Auburn University