Computational Imaging Research Laboratory

Dr. Preza leads the research in the Computational Imaging Research Laboratory (CIRL). Her research interests are imaging science and estimation theory with applications in:

• Computational Optical Sensing and Imaging
• Multidimensional Light Microscopy
• Multispectral Microscopy
• Hyperspectral Imaging
• Medical Imaging

Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO:

• Doctor of Science in Electrical Engineering, August 1998. Dissertation title: “Phase Estimation Using Rotational Diversity for Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy.” Advisor: Donald L. Snyder (former Director of Electronic Signals and Systems Research Laboratory, Washington University in St. Louis; deceased).

• Master of Science in Computer Science, August 1991. Focus on artificial intelligence, digital image processing, computer systems organization, and formal concepts in computer science.

• Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, August 1990. Thesis title: “A Regularized Linear-Reconstruction Method for Optical Sectioning Microscopy.” Advisor: Michael I. Miller (Director of Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University).

• Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, cum laude, May 1987.

• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, cum laude, May 1987.

Conducting research in information-theoretic computational imaging applied to light microscopy and spectroscopy and teaching a variety of electrical and computer engineering courses. Extensive experience in developing physics-based imaging models and processing methods for real imaging applications and implementation and testing of the methods via software engineering. Development and evaluation of optical systems and computational methods using the computational optical sensing and imaging (COSI) paradigm for different applications. Projects include: a) three-dimensional computational imaging microscopy for two different modalities: fluorescence, and phase imaging using computational differential interference contrast (DIC); b) instrument development of an adaptive multimodal microscope system suitable for high-resolution thick sample imaging; c) development of a novel structured-illumination module integrated with computational methods for super-resolution microscopy with reduced data; d) development of physics-guided neural networks for computational imaging; and e) development of improved unmixing methods for hyperspectral imaging. Founder and principal investigator of the Computational Imaging Research Laboratory. Research advisor and mentor to several post-docs, graduate (PhD and MS) and undergraduate students training in computational imaging. Instructor of a variety of electrical and
computer engineering undergraduate and graduate courses. Developer of undergraduate courses for undergraduate research and graduate courses in Fourier Optics, Fourier Methods in Imaging, Computational Optical Imaging, Image Processing, and
Computational Methods for Inverse Problems in Imaging and of a required graduate course in Professional Development and Research Methods. Founding Director of the University of Memphis Vertically Integrated Projects Program for undergraduate research in the Herff College of Engineering, the first one to be implemented in the state of Tennessee, since
fall 2022.

During my sabbatical at the University of Valencia in Spain (Aug. 29 – Oct. 28, 2025), I received hands-on experience on the implementation of our novel microscope system (for which I hold a patent with my collaborators Drs. G. Saavedra and M. Martinez-Coral in the Department of Optics at the University of Valencia) on an optical table, collected and analyzed data
to assess the performance of the system, and solidified new ideas for further instrument development. I provided mentoring and training on computational imaging to their graduate students who are pursuing PhD degrees in the Dept. of Optics. I spent
the last weeks of my sabbatical (Nov. 4 – Dec. 12, 2025) at the Electrical and Systems Engineering Dept. at Washington University in St. Louis, where I explored imaging models in the presence of scattering effects with my collaborator Dr. J. A. O’Sullivan, discussed new image restoration methods with Dr. U. Kamilov’s group, met new faculty and learned about their
research for possible new collaborations, collected data from various super-resolution microscopes at the Washington University Cellular Imaging Center, and presented a seminar at the Electrical and Systems Engineering Dept. seminar series

• 2017 – Present Professor, Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering (primary) and Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Memphis.
• 2017 – 2025 Professor and Chair, The University of Memphis, Dept. of Electrical and Computer
  Engineering
• 2010 – 2017 Associate Professor, The University of Memphis, Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering (primary) and Dept. of Biomedical Engineering
• 2006 – 2010 Assistant Professor, The University of Memphis, Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering (primary) and Dept. of Biomedical Engineering
• 2006 – Present Adjunct Faculty, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Orthopedic Surgery and Biomedical Engineering
• 2000 - 2006 Research Associate, Washington University, Electronic Signals and Systems Research Laboratory, Dept. of Elect. and System Engineering
• 2000 - 2006 Instructor, Washington University, Dept. of Electrical and System Engineering
• 2003 - 2004 Visiting Assistant Professor, University of Cyprus, Dept. of Electrical and Computer
  Engineering
• 1998 - 2000 Research Associate, Washington University, Institute for Biomedical Computing (IBC)
• 1987 - 1998 Research Assistant, Washington University, IBC

Donald L. Snyder Washington University, St. Louis