The Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior

WLBIB is a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to affective and cognitive neuroscience research with brain imaging. The laboratory includes:

    • a 3T MR scanner dedicated solely to research;
    • extensive visual, auditory and gustatory stimulation capabilities with online eye-tracking during MR scans;
    • a PET scanner;
    • a microPET scanner;
    • a scanning simulation room with a mock scanner;
    • a tandem accelerator to support the PET scanners;
    • a 256 channel EEG facility for stand-alone and combined electrical and hemodynamic imaging studies; and
    • dedicated computing facilities.

The lab currently is home to faculty with expertise in neuroscience and psychology, physics and statistics. In addition, the lab includes trained personnel to facilitate imaging studies. The lab is a joint venture of the Waisman Center and the HealthEmotions Research Institute.

New Publications

"An imaging roadmap for biology education: From nanoparticles to whole organisms" (Kelley et al., 6/2/08)

"Attention regulation and monitoring in meditation" (Lutz et al., 4/1/08)


"Regulation of the neural circuitry of emotion by compassion meditation: Effects of meditative expertise" (Lutz et al., 3/26/08)

"Automatic physiological waveform processing for fMRI noise correction and analysis" (Kelley et al., 3/12/08)

"Buddha’s brain: Neuroplasticity and meditation" (Davidson & Lutz, 1/2008)

"Emotion as motion: Asymmetries in approach and avoidant actions" (Maxwell & Davidson, 12/2007)

"Role of the primate orbitofrontal cortex in mediating anxious temperament" (Kalin et al., 11/15/07)

Opportunities for Giving

Continuing the laboratory’s standard of excellence requires resources beyond those available through the usual avenues of research funding, such as federal grants. It is our goal to raise $7-10 million in endowment funds in order to be able to continue our work in advancing knowledge about brain structure and function. Areas of need are in ongoing research programs, retaining highly skilled personnel and maintaining and updating equipment and infrastructure. For additional information about making a gift to the Brain Imaging Lab please go to: www.waisman.wisc.edu/brainimagingfund

Lab in the News

May 30: Latest episode on Peace Talks Radio, called "The Neuroscience of Compassion" features Richard Davidson, Dan Siegel and others.

April 8: Dan Rather Reports: Antoine Lutz, Andy Frances and Richie Davidson appear on the first ~20 minutes of this HDNet program called Mind Science

April 6: The Seattle Times: Scientists to share insights into compassion with the Dalai Lama

April 1: The Lutz et al. Trends in Cognitive Science paper made the cover of the April issue

March 26: Coverage of the Lutz et al. paper in PLoS ONE
• UW Madison News: Study shows compassion meditation changes the brain
• Newsweek: The Lotus and the Synapse
• Scientific American: Meditate on This: You Can Learn to Be More Compassionate
• WebMD: Brain Can Learn Compassion via Meditation
• US News & World Reports: Meditation Can Wish You Well, Study Says
• CNN Video: Can you learn compassion?
• BBC News: Scientists probe meditation secrets
• MSNBC/LiveScience: Neuroscience may explain the Dalai Lama

Upcoming Events

June 26: Melissa Rosenkranz will be defending her dissertation, "Reciprocal modulation of peripheral inflammation and affective neural circuitry in health and disease" at 2:30 PM in the Wiley Conference Center, T216 Waisman.

July 19-24: His Holiness the Dalai Lama visits Madison, WI • info and tickets here

Study recruitment

  • Information about the Brain Imaging Lab's on-going research in Autism & Related DDs found here.

  • Updated 5/29/08: Dr. Jack B. Nitschke at the UW Psychiatry Department is recruiting subjects for a study investigating brain changes that occur in people who have anxiety and mood disorders. Participation involves up to 4 visits over 4 to 6 weeks and undergoing 2 fMRI brain scans. An fMRI scan consists of lying still in a narrow cylinder for up to 2 hours, allowing the scanner to record brain images. Scans are not invasive or harmful to the body. You will be paid $200 for your time when the study is completed. To be eligible for this study, you also must be over 18 years of age, be right-handed, have no history of seizures, have no metal implants, and not be taking any medications. For more information about this study, please call Desmond at (608) 263-9677 or email gadmristudy@gmail.com. Please leave your name, email address, and/or phone number.

  • Also see the Laboratory for Affective Neuroscience for additional studys currently recruiting participants.