Arefeh Sherafati

Education

Washington University in St. Louis
PhD and MSc in Physics 2014 – 2020
Thesis: Separating Signal from Noise in High Density Diffuse Optical Tomography

Shahid Beheshti University
MSc in Physics 2011 – 2013
Thesis: Cosmological Tests in Non-Linear Massive Gravity

Sharif University of Technology
BSc in Physics 2007 – 2011
Focuses: Biomedical Physics and Foundations of Quantum Mechanics

Professional Experience

Research Mentor, Lumiere Education
2023.04 – present
Independent Researcher, Vesuvius Challenge
2023.07 – present
Postdoctoral Scholar, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences
2023.01 – 2024.06
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Washington University School of Medicine
2020.08 – 2023.01
Graduate Research Assistant, Washington University in St. Louis
2014.08 – 2020.08
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Washington University in St. Louis
2014.08 – 2020.08
Vice President, Spectra (OSA/SPIE Student Chapter)
2016.07 – 2017.07
Electronics Instructor, Arvin Robotics
2013.10 – 2014.04
Graduate Research Assistant, Shahid Beheshti University
2011.08 – 2013.01
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Shahid Beheshti University
2012.01 – 2012.04
Research Assistant, Sharif University of Technology
2009.08 – 2011.04

Awards & Honors

Professional, Leadership, & Volunteer Contributions

Selected Coursework & Certificates

DATA SCIENCE & ANALYTICS: IBM Databases and SQL for Data Science with Python, Google Advanced Data Analytics Certificate (seven-course series, in progress), IBM Machine Learning with Python, Python Programming: A Concise Introduction, Generative AI with Large Language Models, The AI Awakening: Implications for the Economy and Society

COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE: Neuromatch Academy Neuroscience Interactive Course, Biological Neural Computation, Computational Methods for Imaging Sciences, Physics of the Brain, Cognitive Neuroscience, Introduction to Biomedical Imaging, Deep Learning and Its Applications in Image Processing, Medical Diagnosis Using Support Vector Machines, Support Vector Machines with scikit-learn, Principles of fMRI I & II

PHYSICS: Classical Mechanics, Mathematical Physics, Quantum Field Theory, Electrodynamics, Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics, Electronics, Biophysics, General Relativity, Biomedical Optics, Fundamentals and Applications of Modern Optical Imaging

MISC.: Complexity Interactive Foundational Course in Complex Systems Science (Santa Fe Institute), Learning How to Learn: Powerful Mental Tools to Help You Master Tough Subjects

Invited Talks

  1. Separating signal from noise in high-density diffuse optical tomography. Computational Imaging Group, Washington University in St. Louis. June 2022.
  2. Mapping the impact of deep brain stimulation on brain function in Parkinson disease. Psychiatry Grand Rounds, Washington University School of Medicine. Oct. 2020.
  3. Separating signal from noise in high-density diffuse optical tomography. Twelfth seminar of the 7-University joint SPIE Student Seminar Series. Oct. 2020.
  4. Using diffuse optical tomography to understand deep brain stimulation’s impact on cortical networks. Imaging Sciences Seminar Series. Jan. 2020.
  5. Developing diffuse optical tomography for patients with implants: separating signal from noise in clinical populations. fNIRS Seminar Series, Ohio State University. Sep. 2019.
  6. Using diffuse optical tomography to understand deep brain stimulation’s impact on cortical networks. Imaging Sciences Pathway Retreat. May 2019.
  7. Light modeling and cap placement in HD-DOT image reconstruction. NeuroDOT workshop. April 2019.
  8. Developing diffuse optical tomography for patients with implants: separating signal from noise in clinical populations. Neuroimaging Informatics and Analysis Center (NIAC) chalk talk. March 2019.
  9. Motion detection methods in NeuroDOT. NeuroDOT workshop. Feb. 2019.
  10. Improvements in functional optical imaging maps by global motion censoring techniques. SPECTRA Graduate Student Seminar. Sep. 2017.
  11. HD-DOT neuroimaging and its motion detection. Graduate Physics Seminar, Washington University in St. Louis. Oct. 2016.
  12. Fiber-based optical neuroimaging motion artifact removal and applications. Graduate Physics Seminar, Washington University in St. Louis. April 2016.
  13. Motion artifact removal using wavelets in high density diffuse optical tomography. SPECTRA Graduate Student Seminar, Washington University in St. Louis. March 2016.

Conference Presentations

  1. Fokin V, Sherafati A, A multimodal encoding model for predicting human brain responses to complex naturalistic movies. CCN 2025, Aug. 2025
  2. Sherafati A, Farhoodi R, Larkin J, Takasaki K, King C, Millman D, Denman D, Lecoq J, Arkhipov A, Gouwens NW, Waters JR. Reid C, de Vries SEJ, Buice M, Abbasi-Asl R, A Physiological Survey of an Entire Column in Mouse Primary Visual Cortex. 10th Annual BRAIN Initiative Conference, June 2024.
  3. Munsi M**, Sherafati A**, Eggebrecht AT, Burns-Yocum TM, Lugar HM, Narayanan A, Doty T, Eisenstein SA, Svoboda AM, Schroeder ML, Snyder AZ, Ushe M, Culver JP, Hershey T. High-Density Diffuse Optical Tomography for Mapping Cortical Networks in Essential Tremor. SPIE Photonics West, Jan. 2023.
  4. Munsi M**, Sherafati A**, Eggebrecht AT, Burns-Yocum TM, Lugar HM, Narayanan A, Doty T, Eisenstein SA, Svoboda AM, Schroeder ML, Snyder AZ, Ushe M, Culver JP, Hershey T. Computed Tomography Based Head Modeling for High Density Diffuse Optical Tomography. Society of Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (sfNIRS), Oct. 2022.
  5. Fogarty M, Sherafati A, Markow ZE, Sanchez-Alonso S, Aslin R, Emberson L, Eggebrecht AT, Culver JP. Leveraging fMRI data to simulate and evaluate the potential performance of fNIRS/DOT systems. Society of Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (sfNIRS), Oct. 2022.
  6. Bajracharya A, Sherafati A, Culver JP, Peelle JE. Mapping naturalistic listening using HD-DOT. Society of Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (sfNIRS), Oct. 2022.
  7. Munsi M**, Sherafati A**, Eggebrecht AT, Burns-Yocum TM, Lugar HM, Narayanan A, Doty T, Eisenstein SA, Svoboda AM, Schroeder ML, Snyder AZ, Ushe M, Culver JP, Hershey T. Seeing Essential Tremors with Invisible Light. Optics and Photonics in Medicine and Biology Gordon Research Conference, Bates College, July 2022.
  8. Brier L, Sherafati A, Bice A, Lee J, Culver J. Transient disruption of neural functional connectivity in a mouse model of acute septic encephalopathy. JOURNAL OF CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW AND METABOLISM, June. 2022.
  9. Munsi M**, Sherafati A**, Eggebrecht AT, Burns-Yocum TM, Lugar HM, Narayanan A, Doty T, Eisenstein SA, Svoboda AM, Schroeder ML, Snyder AZ, Ushe M, Culver JP, Hershey T. High density diffuse optical tomography imaging of deep brain stimulation's cortical impact in essential tremors. JOURNAL OF CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW AND METABOLISM, June. 2022.
  10. Munsi M**, Sherafati A**, Eggebrecht AT, Burns-Yocum TM, Lugar HM, Narayanan A, Doty T, Eisenstein SA, Svoboda AM, Schroeder ML, Snyder AZ, Ushe M, Culver JP, Hershey T. High Density Diffuse Optical Tomography Imaging of Deep Brain Stimulation’s Cortical Impact in Essential Tremors. Brain & Brain PET, May 2022.
  11. Munsi M**, Sherafati A**, Eggebrecht AT, Burns-Yocum TM, Lugar HM, Narayanan A, Doty T, Eisenstein SA, Svoboda AM, Schroeder ML, Snyder AZ, Ushe M, Culver JP, Hershey T. High-density diffuse optical tomography imaging of cortical network response to deep brain stimulation for essential tremor. Neural Imaging and Sensing, SPIE Photonics West, Feb. 2022.
  12. Bajracharya A, Sherafati A, Culver JP, Peelle JE. Mapping the neural bases of listening effort using high-density diffuse optical tomography. Neural Imaging and Sensing, SPIE Photonics West, Feb. 2022.
  13. Munsi M**, Sherafati A**, Eggebrecht AT, Burns-Yocum TM, Lugar HM, Narayanan A, Doty T, Eisenstein SA, Svoboda AM, Schroeder ML, Snyder AZ, Ushe M, Culver JP, Hershey T. Mapping cortical networks in essential tremor with deep brain stimulation using high-density diffuse optical tomography. fNIRS in Clinical Applications. Society for Neuroscience, Nov. 2021.
  14. Munsi M**, Sherafati A**, Eggebrecht AT, Burns-Yocum TM, Lugar HM, Narayanan A, Doty T, Eisenstein SA, Svoboda AM, Schroeder ML, Snyder AZ, Ushe M, Culver JP, Hershey T. Understanding Deep Brain Stimulation’s Impact on Cortical Networks in Essential Tremor Using High-Density Diffuse Optical Tomography. fNIRS in Clinical Applications. Society of Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (sfNIRS), Oct. 2021.
  15. Bajracharya A, Sherafati A, Culver JP, Peelle JE. Measuring Hierarchical Cortical Responses to Narrative Speech Using High-Density Diffuse Optical Tomography (HD-DOT). Society of Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (sfNIRS), Oct. 2021.
  16. Sherafati A, Dwyer N, Bajracharya A, MS, Eggebrecht AT, Firszt JB, Culver JP, Peelle JE. Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex supports spoken word recognition in listeners with cochlear implants: Evidence from high-density diffuse optical tomography. Implantable Auditory Prostheses (CIAP), July 2021.
  17. Sherafati A, Eggebrecht AT, Munsi M, Burns-Yocum TM, Lugar HM, Narayanan A, Doty T, Eisenstein SA, Svoboda AM, Schroeder ML, Snyder AZ, Ushe M, Culver JP, Hershey T. Mapping cortical networks in patients with deep brain stimulation using high-density diffuse optical tomography. Organization for Human Brain Mapping, June 2021.
  18. Bajracharya A, Sherafati A, Culver JP, Peelle JE. Measuring hierarchical cortical responses to narrative speech using high-density diffuse optical tomography. Neuroscience Retreat, Oct. 2021.
  19. Bajracharya A, Sherafati A, Culver JP, Peelle JE. Mapping the neural basis of spoken language processing using high-density diffuse optical tomography (HD-DOT). Imaging Sciences Pathway Retreat, April 2021.
  20. Sherafati A, Munsi M, Eggebrecht AT, Burns-Yocum TM, Lugar HM, Narayanan A, Doty T, Eisenstein SA, Svoboda AM, Schroeder ML, Snyder AZ, Ushe M, Culver JP, Hershey T. Using diffuse optical tomography to understand Hassanpour deep brain stimulation’s impact on cortical networks. Imaging Sciences Pathway Retreat, April 2021.
  21. Agato A, Richter E, Svoboda C, Sherafati A, Burke B, Eggebrecht AT, Culver JP. Wearable high-density diffuse optical tomography (WHD-DOT) instrument for mapping human brain activity. SPIE Photonics West. March 2021.
  22. Svoboda AM, Burns-Yocum TM, Sherafati A, Schroeder ML, Rafferty S, Culver JP, Eggebrecht AT. Mapping neural correlates to language and biological motion in school-aged children with autism using high density diffuse optical tomography. International Society for Autism Research, May 2020.
  23. Sherafati A, Hassanpour MS, Dwyer N, Eggebrecht AT, Firszt JB, Culver JP, Peelle JE. Optical neuroimaging of speech perception in listeners with cochlear implants. Optics and the Brain, April. 2020. BM4C. 4.
  24. Schroeder ML, Sherafati A, Ulbrich RL, Fishell AK, Svoboda AM, Culver JP, Eggebrecht AT. Mapping cortical activations underlying naturalistic language generation without motion censoring using HD-DOT. Optical Tomography and Spectroscopy, April 2020. STu2D. 6.
  25. Svoboda AM, Burns-Yocum TM, Sherafati A, Schroeder ML, Rafferty S, Culver JP, Eggebrecht AT. Mapping neural correlates to language and biological motion in school-aged children with autism using HD-DOT. Microscopy Histopathology and Analytics, April 2020. JTh2A. 33.
  26. Sherafati A, Eggebrecht AT, Burns-Yocum TM, Lugar HM, Narayanan A, Doty T, Eisenstein SA, Svoboda AM, Schroeder ML, Snyder AZ, Ushe M, Culver JP, Hershey T.
    27. Using diffuse optical tomography to understand deep brain stimulation’s impact on cortical networks. Neural Imaging and Sensing, SPIE Photonics West, Feb. 2020.
  27. Sherafati A, Hassanpour MS, Dwyer N, Eggebrecht AT, Culver JP, Firszt JB, Peelle JE. Neural mechanisms underlying speech perception in listeners with cochlear implants mapped using high-density diffuse optical tomography¬. ARO Conference, Jan. 2020.
  28. Svoboda AM, Burns-Yocum TM, Sherafati A, Schroeder ML, Rafferty S, Culver JP, Eggebrecht AT. Mapping neural correlates to language and biological motion in school-aged children with autism using high density diffuse optical tomography. International Society for Autism Research, May 2020.
  29. Schroeder ML, Ulbrich RL, Fishell AK, Sherafati A, Svoboda AM, Culver JP, Eggebrecht AT. Mapping the neural correlates of covert and overt verb generation using high-density diffuse optical tomography. Society for Neuroscience, Oct. 2019.
  30. Svoboda AM, Burns-Yocum TM, Sherafati A, Schroeder ML, Rafferty S, Culver JP, Eggebrecht AT. Mapping neural correlates to language and biological motion in school-aged children with autism using high density diffuse optical tomography. Society for Neuroscience, Oct. 2019.
  31. Sherafati A, Eggebrecht AT, Burns-Yocum TM, Lugar HM, Narayanan A, Doty T, Eisenstein SA, Svoboda AM, Schroeder ML, Snyder AZ, Ushe M, Culver JP, Hershey T. Using diffuse optical tomography to understand deep brain stimulation’s impact on cortical networks. Society for Neuroscience, Oct. 2019.
  32. Sherafati A, Dwyer N, Hassanpour MS, Eggebrecht AT, Culver JP, Firszt JB, Peelle JE. Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex supports speech perception in listeners with cochlear implants. Society for Neuroscience, Oct. 2019.
  33. Sherafati A, Eggebrecht AT, Snyder AZ, Bergonzi KM, Burns-Yocum TM, Culver JP. Towards a more reliable signal processing pipeline in diffuse optical tomography for clinical populations. Annual Washington University Physics Research Symposium (WUPRS), Sep. 2019.
  34. Svoboda AM, Schroeder ML, Sherafati A, Eggebrecht AT. Mapping neural correlates to biological motion in school-aged children with Autism using high density diffuse optical tomography. 7th Annual Flux Congress, Sep. 2019.
  35. Schroeder ML, Fishell AK, Sherafati A, Svoboda AM, Culver JP, Eggebrecht AT. Cortical activity underlying overt and covert language generation measured using high-density diffuse optical tomography. Diffuse Optical Spectroscopy and Imaging VII, 110740H. July 2019.
  36. Burke BA, Eggebrecht AT, Bergonzi KM, Sherafati A, Burns-Yocum TM, Fishell AK, Kumar G, Dhar R, Lee JM, Culver JP. Brain functional connectivity changes in acute ischemic stroke measured with bedside diffuse optical tomography. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, 39, 8-9. July 2019.
  37. Schroeder ML, Fishell AK, Sherafati A, Svoboda AM, Culver JP, Eggebrecht AT. Mapping the neural correlates of covert and overt verb generation using high-density diffuse optical tomography. ECBO, June 2019.
  38. Svoboda AM, Burns-Yocum TM, Sherafati A, Schroeder ML, Rafferty S, Culver JP, Eggebrecht AT. Mapping neural correlates of language and biological motion in school-age children with Autism using high density diffuse optical tomography. OHBM, June 2019.
  39. Schroeder ML, Fishell AK, Sherafati A, Svoboda AM, Culver JP, Eggebrecht AT. Cortical activity underlying overt and covert language generation measured using high-density diffuse optical tomography. OHBM, June 2019.
  40. Burke BA, Eggebrecht AT, Bergonzi KM, Sherafati A, Burns-Yocum TM, Ferradal SL, Kumar G, Dhar R, Fishell AK, Lee JM, Culver JP. Development and validation of a bedside functional connectivity imaging system in acute stroke recovery using diffuse optical tomography. IARS Conference, May 2019.
  41. Tripathy K, Richter EJ, Agato A, Markow ZE, Fishell AK, Sherafati A, Burke BA, Eggebrecht AT, Culver JP. Wireless High-Density Diffuse Optical Tomography for Mapping Brain Activity. BRAIN Initiative Investigators Meeting, May 2019.
  42. Sherafati A, Eggebrecht AT, Bergonzi KM, Burns-Yocum TM, Culver JP. Automated motion artifact detection and censoring in optical neuroimaging data. Neural Imaging and Sensing, SPIE Photonics West, Feb. 2019.
  43. Sherafati A, Eggebrecht AT, Ushe M, Culver JP, Hershey T. Functional connectivity in Parkinson’s disease after deep brain stimulation. Neuroscience Retreat, Sep. 2018.
  44. Sherafati A, Eggebrecht AT, Bergonzi KM, Burns-Yocum TM, Culver JP. Towards reliable functional optical neuroimaging by censoring motion artifacts. Imaging Sciences Pathway Retreat, May 2018.
  45. Sherafati A, Eggebrecht AT, Bergonzi KM, Burns-Yocum TM, Culver JP. Improvements in functional diffuse optical tomography maps by global motion censoring techniques. Optics and the Brain, April 2018. JW3A. 51.
  46. Sherafati A, Eggebrecht AT, Burns-Yocum TM, Culver JP. A global metric to detect motion artifacts in optical neuroimaging data. Neural Imaging and Sensing, SPIE Photonics West, Feb. 2017.
  47. Sherafati A, Hassanpour MS, Eggebrecht AT, Culver JP, Firszt JB, Peelle JE. Optical Neuroimaging of Speech Perception in Listeners with Cochlear Implants. ARO Conference, Jan. 2018.
  48. Sherafati A, Eggebrecht AT, Burns-Yocum TM, Culver JP. A novel global metric to detect motion artifacts in optical neuroimaging data. fNIRS Conference, Oct. 2016.
  49. Sherafati A, Eggebrecht AT, Culver JP. High-Density Diffuse Optical Tomography (HD-DOT) and Motion Artifact Removal. Washington University Graduate Research Symposium, May 2015.
  50. Sherafati A, Shahidi S, Sepangi HR. Classical Tests of General Relativity in Non-linear Massive Gravity. National Conference on Gravitation and Cosmology. Jan. 2014.
  51. Amjadi A, Ebrahimi A, Sherafati A, Khalilgharibi N, Zand MK, Dibazar MSS, Sobhani SO. Ultrasonic Ion Pumps in Bio-Battery’s Electrolyte. Physics Conference of Iran. Aug. 2012.
  52. Amjadi A, Ebrahimi A, Sherafati A, Khalilgharibi N, Zand MK, Dibazar MSS, Sobhani SO. Ultrasonic Ion Pumps in Bio-Battery’s Electrolyte. ICEEN Conference, Jan. 2012.