Research
Dissertation study · Open & recruiting

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy in disorders of consciousness

Protocol testing and pilot study in the Neuro-ICU setting. The study includes healthy control participants and Neuro-ICU patients with disorders of consciousness after brain injury, using fNIRS to measure stimulus-related cerebral hemodynamic responses during passive and cognitive tasks.

Current role

Graduate Researcher

Paul Macey Lab, UCLA. Current work includes an fNIRS reliability study that informs the broader dissertation research program.

Selected presentations
2026ForthcomingPodium

Establishing fNIRS Hemodynamic Modulation During Passive Somatosensory Input: Foundations for Disorders of Consciousness Applications.

Furtick LH*, Ponce JC, Monti MM, DeVon HA, Brecht ML, Macey PM. Podium presentation accepted at: UCLA Nursing Science and Innovation Conference. Annual Conference of UCLA Health and School of Nursing; 2026 May 29; Los Angeles, CA.

2026ForthcomingPoster

Establishing fNIRS Hemodynamic Modulation During Passive Somatosensory Input: Foundations for Disorders of Consciousness Applications.

Furtick LH*, Ponce JC, Monti MM, DeVon HA, Brecht ML, Macey PM. Poster accepted at: ASSC29. Annual Conference of the Association of Scientific Studies of Consciousness; 2026 June 30-July 3; Santiago, Chile.

2026Poster

Harnessing Artificial Intelligence: Strategies for Academic Enhancement and Policy Development in Nursing Education.

Green SD, Bates-Jensen BM, Austin S, Cuenca E, Cunningham CL, Furtick LH*, Kang J, Tolentino DA, Totten G, Wiley DJ, Macey PM. Poster presented at: CACN 26. Annual Conference of California Association of College of Nursing; 2026 February 25-27; Palm Springs, CA.

2025Poster

Establishing fNIRS-Based Hemodynamic Patterns: A Baseline for Applications in Disorders of Consciousness.

Furtick LH*, Monti MM, DeVon HA, Brecht ML, Ponce JC, Macey PM. Accepted poster presentation; unable to attend. ASSC28. Annual Conference of the Association of Scientific Studies of Consciousness; 2025 July 9; Crete, Heraklion, Greece.

2025Poster

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy in disorders of consciousness: protocol testing and pilot in the neuro-ICU.

Furtick LH*, Monti MM, DeVon HA, Brecht ML, Macey PM. Poster presented at: WIN 2025. Annual Conference of Western Institute of Nursing; 2025 April 8-11; Spokane, WA.

2024Poster

Exploring the functional connectivity of the hippocampus area associated with allostatic load index among young workers: a pilot study using data from human connectome project.

2nd Place Student Poster

Saki M, Furtick LH*, Thomas A, Li J, Macey PM. Poster presented at: UCLA Nursing Science and Innovation Conference. Annual Conference of UCLA Health and School of Nursing; 2024 May 22; Los Angeles, CA.

2023Podium

Cerebral functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) monitoring during valsalva maneuver in obstructive sleep apnea.

Furtick LH*, Martinez F, Krause-Sorio B, Aysola RS, Macey PM. Podium presentation at: UCLA Nursing Science and Innovation Conference. Annual Conference of UCLA Health and School of Nursing; 2023 May 31, Los Angeles, CA.

2022Poster

Cerebral oxygenation responses to valsalva maneuver in obstructive sleep apnea.

Furtick LH*, Martinez F, Krause-Sorio B, Aysola RS, Macey PM. Poster presented at: Neuroscience 2022. Annual Conference of Society for Neuroscience; 2022 Nov 11-16; San Diego, CA.

Education

PhD in Nursing

University of California, Los Angeles · Oct 2020-present. Advisor: Paul Macey, PhD. Advanced to Candidacy: March 2024.

Further study

Cognate and independent studies

Graduate coursework in Neuroethics, Brain Imaging and Brain Stimulation, Human Learning and Memory, and Neurophilosophy. Independent study through the University of Basel and Universitätsspital Basel focused on nursing science and intensive care settings.