On June 30th, 2026, the 58th CIBM Breakfast & Science Seminar was presented by Franziska Keller from NIRx Medizintechnik. The event was chaired by Pina Marziliano, CIBM Executive Director. The event took place at the CIBM Seminar room, EPFL, Lausanne with an engaged audience of around 25 participants both online and on site.
Beyond Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy: High-Density Imaging, Brain–Body Synchrony, and Multimodal Neuroimaging in Naturalistic Neuroscience
Abstract
Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) has evolved from a niche neuroimaging modality into a powerful tool for investigating human brain function in environments where traditional imaging techniques are limited. Following a brief introduction to the principles, strengths, and limitations of fNIRS, this presentation will highlight several emerging applications that are expanding the capabilities of the technology:
Topics will include high-density diffuse optical tomography (HD-DOT) for improved spatial resolution and image reconstruction, systemic physiology augmented fNIRS (SPA-fNIRS) for the characterization and removal of physiological confounds, and hyperscanning approaches for studying brain-to-brain and brain-to-body synchrony during social interaction. The presentation will also briefly explore multimodal integrations of fNIRS with EEG, fMRI, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), illustrating how complementary measurements can provide richer insights into neurovascular, electrophysiological, and neuromodulatory processes.
The session will conclude with a live demonstration of a whole-head fNIRS setup incorporating physiological monitoring, showcasing current hardware solutions and practical considerations for multimodal and naturalistic neuroscience research.
Franziska Keller
About the speaker
Franziska Keller is a Senior Scientific Consultant, Team Lead and Application Specialist for combined EEG and fNIRS at NIRx Medizintechnik GmbH in Berlin. She earned her B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Jena, where her research focused on face perception and the psychophysiological correlates of analgesia using EEG, eye tracking, and peripheral physiological measures.
She has more than ten years of experience working with EEG and multimodal neuroimaging approaches, as well as over three years of dedicated experience with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). In her current role at NIRx, she supports researchers across a wide range of applications, from study design and data acquisition to advanced data analysis and multimodal integrations.
Franziska is particularly passionate about education and scientific collaboration, and is committed to helping researchers successfully implement fNIRS in their work and expand its use across research laboratories worldwide.