Will Ryder

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About

Will Ryder is a pioneer in preclinical imaging, whose work has fundamentally advanced the ability to study brain function in conscious, unrestrained animals. His primary research focus lies at the intersection of nuclear medicine, computer vision, and behavioral neuroscience, specifically developing motion-tracking technologies for positron emission tomography (PET). Ryder’s most significant contribution is the creation of a markerless motion-tracking system that enables motion-compensated PET imaging of awake rodents without the need for physical restraints or surgical implants. His landmark 2014 paper, "Markerless Motion Tracking of Awake Animals in Positron Emission Tomography," which has garnered 49 citations, demonstrates how this approach removes the confounding effects of anesthesia, allowing researchers to simultaneously capture both behavioral responses and functional neuroimaging data during drug administration or sensory stimulation. This breakthrough, building on his earlier 2011 work on SLAM-based tracking, has opened new avenues for translational neuroscience by enabling more physiologically relevant studies of brain activity. Ryder’s innovations are transforming how researchers investigate the neural correlates of behavior and the effects of psychoactive compounds, making him a key figure in the evolution of functional neuroimaging.