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Isaac Gallegos

Isaac Gallegos

Research Engineer · Wellman Center for Photomedicine

Harvard Medical School · Massachusetts General Hospital

I build computational imaging systems that detect disease at the molecular level.

Harvard Medical School Wellman Center MIT (Research Affiliate) HBS 2+2 (Deferred)

At the Wellman Center for Photomedicine, I develop spectroscopic optical coherence tomography systems and inverse algorithms for intravascular imaging — extracting tissue optical properties from spectral interference signals to characterize arterial plaque composition in vivo. I also contribute to a NIR-II photoacoustic imaging platform built around a first-of-its-kind all-fiber laser amplifier, developing unmixing algorithms that enable label-free molecular imaging in biological tissue. My work sits at the intersection of photonics, quantum sensing, and computational imaging, and I am preparing to apply for PhD programs for Fall 2027 matriculation.

Trajectory

  1. 2027 (target)

    PhD program

    MIT / Stanford / Caltech / Harvard SEAS / UMD

    Applying for Fall 2027 matriculation in photonics, quantum sensing, and computational imaging — with a focus on correlative OCT–NV-center magnetometry.

  2. 2025 — present

    Research Engineer Current

    Wellman Center for Photomedicine · Harvard Medical School · MGH

    Spectroscopic intravascular OCT, inverse algorithms, NIR-II photoacoustic unmixing, and computational optical modeling.

  3. 2025 — present

    Research Affiliate Current

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology

    Correlative measurement frameworks between clinical OCT and quantum sensing modalities.

  4. 2024

    Deferred MBA admission

    Harvard Business School (2+2 program)

    Admitted for matriculation in 2027 or later.

  5. 2021 — 2024

    B.S. Engineering Physics

    Colorado School of Mines · 3.99 GPA

    Quantum optics, ultrafast laser systems, cleanroom fabrication, and Bell inequality violation measurements.