Alison Barnard has been a part of the ImagingNMD team since 2014. With training as a physical therapist from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, she joined the team as a University of Florida PhD student and gained specialized expertise in muscular dystrophy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS) in skeletal muscle. Dr. Barnard is now a research assistant professor at the University of Florida and a study investigator with ImagingNMD. Her research, particularly in the application of MRI to monitor DMD, has been instrumental in the development of clinical trial methodologies and understanding of disease progression. Dr. Barnard has published several papers with the ImagingNMD team, including a manuscript that translates MRI knowledge to practical information for clinical physical therapists treating individuals with DMD. Within the ImagingNMD group, Dr. Barnard collects MRI and functional outcome data from participants with DMD and BMD, oversees biosample collection and storage, and manages genetic data information. She also has a special interest in respiratory muscle involvement in DMD, and Dr. Barnard helps lead study efforts in this area.
