Dr. Pawel Soluch is the founder and CEO of Neuro Device Group S.A. He completed his PhD in the field of functional brain research from the University of Warsaw. Neuro Device focuses on wearable devices to mitigate the limitations aphasia presents as well as olfactory devices that can provide data on olfactory sensor activity. In this episode, Dr. Soluch speaks about the ways Neuro Device is developing devices that can predict the onset of Alzheimer’s and help overcome speech impairments. Top thr...
Jul 13, 2020•25 min
Dr. Mauro Gandolfo is the cofounder and CEO of 3Brain. He received a PhD in Bioengineering from Università degli Studi di Genova and over the last 15 years, has committed to facilitating research in major fields like neuroscience, ophthalmology and cardiology. 3Brain is the world's first company to create microelectrode arrays with high resolution (HD-MEAs). In this episode, Dr.Gandolfo speaks about the ways brain organoids and CMOS technology are revolutionizing our understanding of neuronal fu...
Jul 06, 2020•29 min
Amir Bozorgzadeh is the cofounder and CEO of Virtuleap. Virtuleap uses specialized virtual reality games to help improve cognitive health. The company has successfully developed data dashboards that communicate the cognitive performance progress of each user. In this episode, he discusses the current ways VR is altering the landscape of brain training, as well as the future of Virtuleap. Top three takeaways: Virtuleap works to translate standardized cognitive tests approved by scientists into VR...
Jun 29, 2020•15 min
Dr. Ginger Campbell is the host of Brain Science , a very large neuroscience podcast, and one of the earliest neuroscience podcasts created. In this episode, she discusses the podcast itself, why and how she started it up, as well as what it takes to run a neuroscience podcast. Top three takeaways: If you want to make a scientific podcast, you must understand the workload that comes with it. It takes a lot to generate accurate scientific content for your listeners. When doing a scientific podcas...
Jun 15, 2020•41 min
Keeping a company in business during a major recession can be like keeping a boat afloat amidst stormy waters. The neurotech company Neuros Medical was created in the middle of the Great Recession of 2008, and still fares well even during the current recession brought on by COVID-19. In this episode, Jon Snyder, the founder of Neuros Medical, discusses, during the NYC Neuromodulation 2020 Online Conference, how the company was founded and succeeded during the Great Recession, and what advice a n...
Jun 08, 2020•54 min
During unusual times like this, it is more important than ever to have good communication with your peers in the neurotech industry. In this episode, Avery Bedows and JoJo Platt discuss, at the NYC Neuromodulation 2020 Online Conference, the importance of having a good network of peers, and how to establish such a network and keep it robust. Top three takeaways: It is very important in fields such as neurotech to build up a good and reliable network and to have clear communication, especially du...
Jun 01, 2020•32 min
Dr. Shelley Fried is an associate professor at Massachusetts General Hospital , the teaching hospital to Harvard Medical School. His work involves retinal prostheses and using electromagnetic fields to stimulate neurons. In this episode, he discusses these fields of research, as well as goals and challenges with each of them. Top three takeaways: The main challenge with current retinal prostheses is that the visual acuity it provides is so poor that it cannot be meaningfully used for most daily ...
May 25, 2020•46 min
Dr. Robert Riener is a professor at ETH Zurich in Switzerland. His research involves exoskeletons, brain-computer interfaces, and EEG. He is also in charge of running the Cybathlon in ETH Zurich, which is an Olympic-like event where patients with disabilities compete, using assistive robotic devices. In this episode, he discusses the Cybathlon, its events, and its goals and purpose. Top three takeaways: The Cybathlon is a major athletic competition where the participants use assistive robotic de...
May 18, 2020•31 min
Dr. Andrew Wilder is the CEO of Ripple Neuro , a medical device company which specializes in neural interface technology and neuroprosthetics. In this episode, he discusses how the company plans to progress in the next decade, as part of their big 10-year announcement. Top three takeaways: One big advancement that Ripple Neuro is planning to make in the next decade is to hold clinical trials for neuroprosthetic upper limbs, and obtain market clearance for these devices As far as the company itse...
May 11, 2020•24 min
Dr. Kevin Tracey is the president and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research . He is very well-known and well-cited for his seminal research within the field of neuromodulation, particularly as it relates to the immune response. In this episode, he discusses the current progress being made in the field of bioelectronic medicine, as well as how it compares to pharmaceutical treatments. Top three takeaways: The power in bioelectronic medicine is in the fact that rather than sending o...
May 04, 2020•39 min
Dr. Phil Kennedy is a neurologist who has implanted patients with a neural recording device that can detect firing patterns attributed to certain words. This device can help locked-in patients communicate with others by detecting these firing patterns and outputting words on a computer. He has also had himself implanted with this same device. In this episode, Dr. Kennedy discusses how the device works, and his experience being implanted with his own device. Top three takeaways: Silent speech wor...
Apr 27, 2020•40 min
Dr. Kika Tuff is an ecologist and science communicator who founded Impact Media Lab , an organization which consists of scientists who seek to change the world through powerful storytelling. In this episode, she discusses the power of making compelling stories to spread scientific knowledge and gain a greater audience as a scientist. Top three takeaways: Telling your story effectively can improve your credibility, and can result in an increased following, such as more students and funders for yo...
Apr 20, 2020•43 min
Nathan Copeland is a paraplegic neural implantee who has four Blackrock Utah electrode arrays implanted in his brain. He uses a robotic arm which has a wider functionality than a regular arm, and has even fist bumped the president with it. In this episode, he discusses his experiences being implanted and how using the implants has changed his life. Top three takeaways: When Nathan Copeland met President Obama and had a fist bump with him, he realized that the president was very interested in the...
Apr 13, 2020•39 min
Dr. Alie Caldwell, a.k.a. Alie Astrocyte, is a neuroscientist who is well-known for her YouTube channel Neuro Transmissions . In this episode, she discusses the YouTube channel, how it was created, what types of videos the channel produces, how the videos are made, and what she has gained out of it. Top three takeaways: In doing this channel, Alie Caldwell has had to overcome the challenge of maintaining a good work-life balance, since this channel is not her full-time career. In academia, you a...
Apr 06, 2020•30 min
We know you are facing challenging times in this current health crisis. The U.S. Small Business Administration is committed to help bring relief to small businesses and nonprofit organizations suffering because of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the CARES Act, which provided additional assistance for small business owners and non-profits, including the opportunity to get up to a $10,000 Advance on an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) . T...
Apr 01, 2020•2 min
Daniel Powell is the CEO of Spark Biomedical , a medical device company based in Texas whose mission is to develop effective, wearable neurostimulation devices. In this episode, he discusses an auricular nerve stimulator to aid in the relief of opioid withdrawal both in adults and newborn infants. Top three takeaways: This auricular, transcutaneous nerve stimulator device works to alleviate opioid withdrawal by stimulating the necessary nerves to kickstart endogenous endorphin release in the bra...
Mar 30, 2020•36 min
This outbreak of COVID-19 is a very difficult time for scientific research. A lot of experiments are being interrupted and put on pause, and conference travels are essentially not possible. In this episode, Ladan discusses what steps are being taken by government grant-funding agencies to assist researchers during this time. Top three takeaways: Grant-funding agencies such as the NIH and NSF are extending deadlines for grants and experiments, and late applications are being accepted without the ...
Mar 23, 2020•12 min
Jeremy Magland and James Jun are researchers at the Flatiron Institute whose work involves spike sorting for analysis of large recorded neuronal data sets. In this episode, at the SfN 2019 Conference, they discuss the Flatiron Institute, spike sorting and the various algorithms involved in it, as well as an open-source algorithm the Flatiron Institute has developed for spike sorting and how it works. Top three takeaways: The Flatiron Institute, a division of the Simons Foundation, uses modern co...
Mar 16, 2020•20 min
Dr. Pablo Celnik is a professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Buzz is a spinal cord injury patient who has recently received implants to help him regain sensory and motor control of his body. In this episode, they discuss the project directed by Dr. Celnik that involves the implantation of a bilateral set of implants that has been effective in helping Buzz regain sensory and motor control. Top three takeaways: Buzz’s implants are unique d...
Mar 09, 2020•27 min
Jennifer French and James Cavuoto are editors and publishers for Neurotech Reports , a news source whose mission is to provide up-to-date information about the field of neurotechnology that impacts research and venture capital. In this episode, they discuss some updates and recent events happening within the last month in the industry of neurotechnology. Top three takeaways: The 2020 North American Neuromodulation Society Annual Conference was a very informative and successful conference, and th...
Mar 02, 2020•12 min
Charles Lieber , a researcher in the field of chemistry and nanotechnology, has been arrested on charges of making false statements to the US government regarding his monetary ties to China. In this episode, JoJo Platt discusses his arrest, the events surrounding it, and what it could mean for the field and future international collaborations. Top three takeaways: Charles Lieber did not disclose his ties to China while receiving grant money from US government institutions The US Senate believes ...
Feb 10, 2020•21 min
In this episode, Ladan interviews Ritesh Kumar, a poster presenter at the SfN 2019 conference whose research involves restoring bladder functions. Ritesh is a researcher working under Dr. Robert Gaunt in the Rehab Neural Engineering Labs at the University of Pittsburgh. Top three takeaways: The device being investigated and tested is designed to conform to changes in volume in the bladder. The electrodes embedded in the device are aligned with specific functional regions of the bladder to genera...
Jan 27, 2020•12 min
Dr. Bryan McLaughlin is the president of Micro-Leads , a medical device company working on implantable therapy for spinal cord stimulation. In this episode, he discusses his research and investigation into medical-grade technologies to treat spinal cord injury, as well as his collaboration with DARPA in this endeavor. Top three takeaways: The electrodes manufactured by Micro-Leads used for spinal cord stimulation target more fibers and have more electrode channels than other electrodes McLaughli...
Jan 20, 2020•12 min
Brandon Prestwood, an amputee, is a participant in a research program which develops advanced prosthetics and implants to restore sensory function in amputees. In this episode, he discusses his experience as an amputee in this research program, as well as the implanted device he uses to restore the lost functionality of his forearm. Top three takeaways: Medical treatments for amputees can often involve excessive medications, many of which are opioid-based, which can be problematic as it can lead...
Jan 13, 2020•24 min
Dr. Tim Marzullo is an engineer and co-founder of Backyard Brains , which seeks to develop technologies to make learning about neurophysiology easy and fun. In this episode, he discusses some such technologies at SfN Neuroscience 2019 . Top three takeaways: Backyard Brains creates scientific technology that can be easily used by high school students to learn more about science (and win science fairs😊) Recent technologies have taught us that there is a whole molecular and electrical world within...
Dec 16, 2019•15 min
Dr. Allan McCay is a legal scholar working in Australia, and his work involves legal and ethical issues in the field of neurolaw. In this episode, he discusses the legal and jurisprudential issues behind brain-computer interfaces and how their advent and proliferation could affect how crimes are viewed in legal system. Top three takeaways: Brain-computer interfaces may change the way we will need to think about criminal justice and responsibility for crimes Higher courts will need to carefully c...
Dec 09, 2019•30 min
JoJo Platt is the founder of Behind the Bench , a Neurotech News outlet, as well as a Platt & Associates where she consulted for places like Feinstein Institute for Medical Research . In this episode, she discusses how she developed her network and formed Behind the Bench, as well as recruiting in the field of bioelectronic medicine and what it takes to get hired. Top three takeaways: Platt’s mission is to help promote and coalesce the field of bioelectronic medicine within the greater field of ...
Dec 02, 2019•15 min
This month's neurotech industry podcast features some highlights from the 2019 Neurotech Leaders Forum that took place November 4-5, 2019 In San Francisco. This is a two -day event focusing on the opportunities, trends and entrepreneur ventures in the industry. Here's what is featured: The Neurotech Reports roundtable was a lightning round session of topics with commentary and input from the editorial team. Topics included: How should the industry respond to negative press? How to ensure reimbur...
Nov 25, 2019•17 min
Avery Bedows and Doug Clinton are part of Loup Ventures , a venture capital firm that invests in frontier technology. In this episode, which is the first of a quarterly series on neurotech news, they discuss recent events regarding investment in neurotech companies as well as growths and developments within the neurotech industry. Top three takeaways: Companies can sometimes look at the value of an investment not just in terms of revenue, but in terms of gaining a strong foothold in an upcoming ...
Nov 18, 2019•36 min
Joe Bird is a lawyer specializing in patent litigation, and works for the firm Maynard Cooper & Gale. In this episode, he discusses the current lawsuit between Nevro and Boston Scientific for a high-frequency spinal cord stimulation device, he gives a general overview of patent law and how patents are enforced and litigated, and also discusses what this lawsuit means for the neurotech industry. Top three takeaways: Patent litigation is a very unique field of law, with a lot of special rules and ...
Oct 28, 2019•44 min
