Thomas Foo

Thomas Foo is Chief Scientist in the Biology and Applied Physics group. He leads externally-funded efforts developing novel high-performance, dedicated neuroimaging MRI systems, including highly efficient head gradient coils that exceed the performance of any existing clinical MRI scanner. In addition, he also has an active program in developing combined MR-ultrasound systems for image-guided intervention and therapy. For GE Healthcare, he leads the MR Plug and Play program with missions to reduce MR examination time using artificial intelligence, and reducing MR scanner installation time through increasing power efficiency and reducing size of gradient amplifiers and digital receiver components.

Tom has been at GE for 29 years, the first 15 years of which was spent at GE Healthcare. In his most recent role as Manager of the MR Systems Lab at GE Research, he was responsible for building a portfolio of projects from image analytics to magnet technologies that have been leveraged for successful externally-funded projects. At GE Healthcare, he led the development of the cardiac MR product as well as expanding applications in cardiovascular MRI and fast imaging. As Manager of the Applied Science Lab-East, he pioneered the co-location of GE scientists at academic sites, a practice that continues today.

Tom holds 81 issued US patents in medical imaging and has authored or co-authored over 110 book-chapters and peer-reviewed journal articles. He received his Ph.D. in Medical Physics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and has an A.B. in Physics and Mathematics from Kenyon College, Gambier, OH. He was recognized by the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine as a Fellow in 2012, and was inducted as a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering in 2018.  Tom is also a GE Coolidge Fellow. He is currently a co-Principal Investigator or Principal Investigator on 4 active NIH and DoD grants.