His primary research interest is in brain and spinal cord injury, with a particular focus on developing MRI techniques to diagnose and monitor injury. He has made important contributions to the field, particularly in understanding how a specialized MRI method—diffusion weighted imaging (DWI)—can be used to investigate the nervous system and how it relates to the underlying pathology following injury. His long-term goal is to advance these MRI techniques and promote their adoption in the clinical setting where they will ultimately have the most benefit to patients. To meet those goals, he collaborates with physics, engineers, and clinicians within the Center for Imaging Research and the Department of Neurosurgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin.