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Jeremy Kawahara
Vancouver, Canada
B jkawahar@sfu.ca
Í kawahara.ca
ca.linkedin.com/in/jeremykawahara/
Education
Sept 2013 - Ph.D. student in Computing Science, Simon Fraser University.
Present Medical Image Analysis Lab
Sept 2011 - M.Sc. in Computing Science, Simon Fraser University.
Sept 2013 Medical Image Analysis Lab
2011 B.Sc. in Computing Science, Vancouver Island University, with Distinction.
Experience
Oct 2014 - Research Assistant, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby.
Present A current focus is on how to classify skin diseases from colour images
Sept 2013 - Research Assistant, Qatar Robotic Surgery Centre/SFU, Doha/Burnaby.
Sept 2014 Researched how to distinguish between kidney and tumour within ultrasound video during
an image guided robotic surgery
Sept 2011 – Teaching Assistant, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby.
April 2014 CMPT 128: Intro to Computing Science for Engineering Students
(4 semesters) CMPT 376: Writing for Computer Scientists
CMPT 340: Biomedical Computing
Explained and answered students’ programming questions, wrote tutorials, marked tests
and assignments, and provided constructive feedback on students’ work
April 2012 - Research Assistant, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby.
Aug 2013 Researched methods to segment the spinal cord from magnetic resonance images (MRI)
and predict the clinical disability of a multiple sclerosis patient
Focused on segmentation, minimal path optimization, machine learning, statistical models,
and feature extraction
2010 – 2013 Owner/Software Developer, Kawahara Innovations, Nanaimo.
Developed data-entry desktop software to track fishing and hunting activities from distributed databases for analysis and reporting, gathered customer requirements, and handled
business aspects (invoicing, contracts, sub-contractors)
2009 – 2010 Peer Tutor, Vancouver Island University Disability Services, Nanaimo.
Tutored students with learning disabilities computing courses
2008 – 2010 Software Developer, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nanaimo.
Implemented systems to store, organize, report and internationally share otolith thermal
mark information as part of an interdisciplinary team
Provided training, support, maintenance and documentation to laboratory personnel
Publications
J. Kawahara, C. McIntosh, R. Tam, and G. Hamarneh, “Augmenting auto-context with
global geometric features for spinal cord segmentation,” in MICCAI Workshop on Machine
Learning in Medical Imaging (MLMI), vol. 8184 of Lecture Notes in Computer Science,
pp. 211–218, Springer, 2013. (Peer reviewed, poster presentation).
J. Kawahara, C. McIntosh, R. Tam, and G. Hamarneh, “Globally optimal spinal cord segmentation using a minimal path in high dimensions,” in IEEE International Symposium on
Biomedical Imaging (IEEE ISBI), pp. 836–839, 2013. (Peer reviewed, poster presentation).
J. Kawahara, C. McIntosh, R. Tam, and G. Hamarneh, “Novel morphological and appearance features for predicting physical disability from MR images in multiple sclerosis
patients,” in MICCAI Workshop on Computational Methods and Clinical Applications for
Spine Imaging, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, pp. 54–66, Springer, 2013. (Peer
reviewed, oral presentation).
G. Hamarneh, A. Amir-Khalili, M. Nosrati, I. Figueroa, J. Kawahara, O. Al-Alao, J.-M.
Peyrat, J. Abi-Nahed, A. Al-Ansari, and R. Abugharbieh, “Towards multi-modal imageguided tumour identification in robot-assisted partial nephrectomy,” in IEEE Middle East
Conference on Biomedical Engineering (IEEE MECBME), pp. 159–162, 2014. (Peer
reviewed).
J. Kawahara, J.-M. Peyrat, O. Al-Alao, R. Abugharbieh, and G. Hamarneh, “Automatic
Labelling of Tumourous vs Tumour-Free Frames in Free-Hand Laparoscopic Ultrasound
Video,” in MICCAI, pp. 676–683, Springer, 2014. (Peer reviewed, poster presentation).
J. Kawahara and G. Hamarneh, “Image Content-Based Navigation of Skin Conditions,” in
World Congress of Dermatology (WCD), 2015. (Peer reviewed abstract, poster presentation).
J. Kawahara and K. Hein, “Development of thermal mark data sharing methods,” tech.
rep., Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 2010. http://fund.psc.org/2008/Reports/NF_
2008_I_21_McConnell.pdf.
Master’s Thesis and Research Projects
Title Spinal cord segmentation and disability prediction in multiple sclerosis using novel optimization and machine learning methods
Supervisors Dr. Ghassan Hamarneh, Dr. Roger Tam, Dr. Chris McIntosh
Description This thesis summarizes our research and publications on spinal cord segmentation and
disability prediction in multiple sclerosis patients. As well, it includes an analysis of our
two segmentation methods.
Thesis https://theses.lib.sfu.ca/thesis/etd7957
More info. http://kawahara.ca/segment-spinal-cord-predict-disability-in-ms-patients/
Title Globally optimal spinal cord segmentation using a minimal path in high dimensions
Description We developed a method to segment the spinal cord from MRI using an A* minimal path
search in high dimensions. This minimal path in between two user entered seed points
represents the globally optimal spinal cord segmentation. Our work was presented at the
2013 IEEE International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging (ISBI).
Paper http://www.cs.sfu.ca/~hamarneh/ecopy/isbi2013b.pdf
More info. http://kawahara.ca/spinal-cord-seg-astar/
Title Augmenting auto-context with global geometric features for spinal cord segmentation
Description We proposed a machine learning approach to segment the spinal cord from MRI and
introduced a novel type of feature that considers a large amount of image context. Our
work was presented at the 2013 MICCAI international workshop on Machine Learning in
Medical Imaging (MLMI).
Paper http://www.cs.sfu.ca/~hamarneh/ecopy/miccai_mlmi2013a.pdf
More info. http://kawahara.ca/augment-auto-context-with-global-features-miccai-mlmi/
Title Novel morphological and appearance features for predicting physical disability from MR
images in multiple sclerosis patients
Description We extracted features from MRI and spinal cord segmentations and built linear and
non-parametric, non-linear models to predict the physical disability of a patient with
multiple sclerosis. Our work was presented at the 2013 MICCAI international workshop on
Computational Methods and Clinical Applications for Spine Imaging (CSI).
Paper http://www.cs.sfu.ca/~hamarneh/ecopy/miccai_csi2013.pdf
More info. http://kawahara.ca/predict-disability-in-ms-patients-using-mri-miccai-csi/
Bachelor’s Research Project
Title Development of Computer Aided Annuli Detection Software
Supervisor Dr. Huizhu Liu
Description We developed computer-aided detection software to assist in identifying the age of chum
salmon scales from images of the scales. The software was developed using the OpenCV
image processing and machine learning libraries. We demonstrated proof-of-concept and a
rudimentary software approach to age fish scales
Paper Reviewer for the Following Conference
2014 Middle East Conference on Biomedical Engineering (IEEE MECBME)
Technical Skills & Expertise
Basic
Intermediate
Interests
Tools
OS
ASP.NET, HTML, ITK, OpenCV, Perl, PHP, Python, R
C/C++, database design, Java, LATEX, MATLAB, Oracle DB, PL/SQL, VB.NET
Medical image analysis, image segmentation, machine learning, statistical models, deep learning
CMake, Eclipse, Visual Studio
Windows, Mac, Linux
Scholarships and Awards
2015
2015
2014
2014
2013
2013
2002
Graduate Fellowship, Jan 2015, Simon Fraser Univsersity (Institutional Competition)
Borden Ladner Gervais Graduate Scholarship, Jan 2015, (Institutional Competition)
NSERC PGS D, 3 year funding, Sept 05th 2014, NSERC, (National Competition)
MICCAI Society Student Travel Award, May 23rd 2014, (International Competition)
Travel and Minor Research Award, October 28th 2013, Simon Fraser University
Travel and Minor Research Award, March 15th 2013, Simon Fraser University
Passport to Education, 2002, Prov, Secondary School academic award.
Group Affiliations
Sept 2011 - Medical Image Analysis Lab, Burnaby, BC, Canada
Present http://www.cs.sfu.ca/~hamarneh/students.html
Jan 2014 - Elected council representative for SFU’s Computing Science graduate students
Present http://sfugradsociety.ca/?page_id=62
Sept 2013 - Image Guided Robotic Surgery, Doha, Qatar
Sept 2014 http://igrs.cs.sfu.ca/Team.html
Sept 2010 - Toastmasters International, Nanaimo, BC, Canada
Aug 2011
Qualities
Through my work, school and research, I have demonstrated the ability to independently
set priorities, meet deadlines and efficiently manage time and resources. I have a strong
aptitude for problem solving and analytical thinking that is complemented by proficient oral
and written communication. I am very eager to research, learn and develop state-of-the-art
methods for medical data analysis and I look forward to contributing to these exciting
fields.
Last updated: Monday 27th April, 2015