Umberto Villa

About
Umberto Villa joined the Oden Institute in 2022 from Washington University in St Louis, where he was a Research Assistant Professor of Electrical & Systems Engineering. He later joined the Department of Biomedical Engineering in 2025/

He obtained his Ph.D. in Mathematics (computational and applied mathematics track) in 2012 from Emory University (Atlanta, GA, USA) with Dr. Alessandro Veneziani serving as his advisor. Dr. Villa completed his postdoctoral training at the Center for Applied Scientific Computing of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (Livermore, CA, USA) under the mentorship of Dr. Panayot Vassilevski.

Villa’s research aims to accelerate biomedical innovation and help resolve major challenges in medicine and public health, including early detection of cancers and improved treatment outcomes, by exploiting the power of computing and artificial intelligence (AI). His lab develops novel computational, statistical and AI approaches to advance emerging biomedical imaging modalities; optimizes the design of medical imaging instruments and improves diagnostic or screening performance; and supports informed clinical decision-making for patient-specific treatment regimes.

A major focus of Villa’s current research is virtual imaging trials. These trials use advanced computational modeling to simulate everything from patient anatomy to how an imaging device collects data, without needing to build a physical prototype or recruit live participants. Using virtual imaging trials, Umberto Villa’s lab can systematically explore and optimize imaging system designs and image reconstruction methods, helping to push promising new medical technologies closer to the clinic—faster and with fewer ethical or financial barriers.

Educational Qualifications
Ph.D., Mathematics, Emory University
M.S., Mathematical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano/Politecnico di Torino
B.S., Mathematical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano

Select Awards & Honors

Mathematical Engineering Program Best Graduate Award – Politecnico di Milano

Select Publications

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