In this episode of the Neural Implant Podcast, host Dr. Ladan Jiracek speaks with Ali Samiian, founder of Poplar Access Advisors, about one of the most overlooked challenges in neurotechnology and medical devices: reimbursement.

Ali has spent over 20 years working across pharma, medical devices, and neuromodulation, including leadership roles at Abbott, Novartis, and Cala Health, where he helped secure reimbursement for a first-in-class wearable neuromodulation therapy for essential tremor. In this conversation, Ali explains why FDA approval alone is often not enough for a company to succeed, and why coding, coverage, and payment strategy must be considered from the earliest stages of device development.

The discussion covers reimbursement strategy for neurotech startups, how clinical trial design impacts commercialization, lessons learned from Cala Health, home-use neuromodulation, CMS and Medicare pathways, and why many promising neurotechnology companies fail despite having strong science and working products.

Key Takeaways
1. FDA approval does not guarantee commercial success. Many neurotech startups mistakenly believe FDA clearance is the finish line, when reimbursement is often the real challenge. A device can be safe and effective yet still fail commercially if insurers refuse to pay for it.

2. Reimbursement strategy should shape product design early. According to Ali, critical reimbursement decisions are often locked in years before launch through choices around device form factor, clinical trial design, and regulatory pathway selection. Waiting until after FDA submission can force companies into expensive redesigns and delays. Ali recommends founders begin thinking about reimbursement during product design, regulatory pathway selection, clinical trial planning, and fundraising, before key commercialization decisions become difficult to change.

3. Neurotech companies must think beyond efficacy alone. Payers want more than proof that a therapy works. They care about long-term outcomes, comparators, durability, site-of-care economics, and whether the product delivers clear value for money.

4. Cala Health helped prove wearable neuromodulation can be reimbursable. Ali describes how Cala Health overcame major reimbursement hurdles by differentiating its tremor therapy from simple TENS devices, ultimately securing substantially higher reimbursement and validating a commercial path for wearable neuromodulation.

5. Neurotechnology may be entering a commercialization inflection point. With advances in closed-loop systems, home-use therapies, and successful acquisitions in the space, Ali believes neurotechnology and electroceuticals are approaching a "golden age" where investors and payers increasingly recognize their value.

Episode Timestamps

0:15 - Can you introduce yourself and explain what Poplar Access Advisors does?

2:30 - What exactly is "reimbursement" in healthcare?

4:40 - How do coding, coverage, and payment work together?

6:05 - What are the biggest commercialization mistakes medtech startups make?

10:20 - When should founders start thinking about reimbursement?

13:55 - How did Cala Health secure reimbursement for wearable neuromodulation?

20:10 - Is reimbursement becoming more unified or more fragmented?

22:20 - How do companies actually communicate with payers and CMS?

23:50 - What is different about reimbursement for neurotechnology and neuromodulation?

26:20 - What mistakes do neurotech founders repeatedly make?

27:35 - Are we entering a golden age for neurotechnology and electroceuticals?

In this episode of the Neural Implant Podcast, host Dr. Ladan Jiracek speaks with Ellyn Ito, CEO and co-founder of Innerstill Health, about their wearable neurotechnology platform and flagship product, MindVibe. This non-invasive device combines vagus nerve stimulation and acupressure-based neuromodulation to help regulate the body's stress response and improve overall wellness.

Ellyn shares how MindVibe is designed to promote calm, enhance focus, and improve sleep quality through ultra-low electrical stimulation that users don't even feel. The conversation explores the science behind multi-mode stimulation, why avoiding sensation may actually improve outcomes, and how Innerstill is navigating the path from wellness device to potential clinical applications.

Key Takeaways

1. MindVibe focuses on regulating the nervous system—not treating specific diseases. As a wellness device, MindVibe targets stress, anxiety, and sleep by activating the body's "rest and digest" response rather than claiming to cure medical conditions.
2. Multi-mode stimulation may be the key differentiator in neuromodulation devices. By combining vagus nerve stimulation with ear-based acupressure points across multiple frequencies, MindVibe aims to avoid saturation and improve effectiveness across different users.
3. "Do no harm" design avoids the sensory discomfort common in other devices. Unlike many stimulators that produce tingling or muscle twitching, MindVibe operates below sensory thresholds—reducing cortisol responses and improving user adherence.
4. Early results suggest improvements in calm, sleep, and focus. Users report reduced anxiety, better deep sleep, and increased focus—likely tied to vagus nerve activation and improved neurohormonal regulation.
5. The company is using a "wellness-first" strategy to accelerate adoption
   Innerstill is launching through clinics and consumer wellness channels before pursuing FDA pathways for broader clinical indications like addiction, ADHD, and neurological disorders.

Episode Timestamps

0:17 – Introduction to MindVibe and Innerstill Health

1:00 – What does "feeling better" actually mean? (calm, sleep, focus)

3:30 – Is this like alcohol or cannabis—or something different?

6:00 – What does the device look like and how is it worn?

8:00 – How long do you need to use it and what's the protocol?

9:30 – Why avoid sensation in neuromodulation devices?

11:00 – Clinic rollout and early user feedback

12:15 – Why launch as a wellness device instead of FDA first?

14:15 – Future plans: non-invasive deep brain stimulation

18:15 – Origin story: from pediatric pain treatment to neurotech platform

21:30 – Why other vagus nerve stimulators didn't work as well

24:00 – Scaling the company and future applications

In this episode, we dive into the world of European intellectual property and medtech innovation with Dr. Christian Wende, a German and European Patent Attorney specializing in medical technology at DTS. With a background in mechanical engineering, a Ph.D. in liver dialysis research, and a Master of Laws in European IP law, Christian brings a rare and powerful combination of technical, legal, and clinical insight.

We explore how startups and investors should think about IP strategy in Europe, the impact of the new Unified Patent Court (UPC), the nuances between U.S. and EU patent landscapes, and how IP due diligence is handled during VC rounds and M&A activity. Whether you're a founder, investor, or innovator in medtech or neurotech, this episode is packed with actionable insights.

This episode is sponsored by Black Swan IP – patent strategy and legal support for neurotech innovators. Learn more at www.blackswan-ip.com/

Top 3 Takeaways:

• When looking for a good IP lawyer, don't try to search blindly—ask founders who've successfully done it before. You'll often hear the same trusted names. And even if those lawyers are conflicted, they'll usually refer you to a trusted colleague. The IP community is small and highly referral-driven.
• Becoming a qualified German and European patent attorney is a long and rigorous journey—often taking over 14 years. It includes a PhD, a three-year legal apprenticeship, two bar exams (German and European), and additional certification for the Unified Patent Court. Only about 25% of German candidates pass the European exam on their first try.
• Investors expect transparency and a plan—especially when IP litigation risk is involved. Hiding potential legal issues is a red flag that can derail multimillion-dollar investments, particularly in later-stage rounds. For high-stakes backers, surprise IP battles are deal-breakers, not details.

1:30 What is a patent and how is it different in Europe vs the US?

3:30 How far in advance should you be thinking about European patents?

8:15 How did you get into patent law?

10:00 What kind of education is necessary for this?

14:30 What was your role in the Sapiens DBS IP portfolio?

17:15 Sponsorship by blackswan-ip 

17:45 What are common issues especially in Merger and Acquisition deals?

27:15 What is one of the biggest mistakes you see neurotech companies do?

30:00 How do you recognize good legal counsel?

32:30 How do your Japanese roots fit into everything?

36:00 Are you knowledgable about the Asian side of medtech?

38:00 Is there anything that we didn't talk about that you wanted to mention? 

Blythe Karow is a medical device veteran who is now the cofounder and CEO of Evren Technologies, a medical device company making a wearable Vagus Nerve Stimulator to help with the problems brought about by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Top 3 Takeaways

• Not only veterans but first responders often get PTSD and 1/9 women will have it at some point in their lives
• Stimulating the auricular (ear) branch of the Vagus nerve has fewer side effects but with a calming effect on the body
• Diagnosing and curing PTSD is very difficult and subjective

1:15 "Do you want to introduce yourself and the technology?"

2:30 "You spun out of the University of Florida and then you were able to license it, what did that look like? "

3:30 "So you have some background in medical devices, you saw the potential in this and then you were looking to do something new? 

5:00 "What were you looking for and what were the acceptance criteria?"

6:00 "So how does this work? What are some of the effects of vagus nerve stimulation?"

9:00 "So it is this calming effect, you're able to flip that stress response back to normal with the PTSD patients. Is that a one-time thing? Is that a one-time flip or does it have to be re flipped?"

11:00 "PTSD is very hard to quantify, right? How is that currently done?"

13:00 "So what are the current treatments for it?"

15:30 "So what's your device and how does it work? And how do you know that you're stimulating the Vagus nerve? "

19:30 "You guys are still in the prototyping phase and then you have to get FDA approval for this, what are the next steps for the company?"

21:15 "What are some I guess are your biggest challenges?"

23:30 "Would they have to get it as a prescription through a doctor? Would they be able to buy it on Amazon?"

24:15 "Is there anything that we didn't talk about that you wanted to mention?"

Nicolas Vachicouras is the cofounder of Neurosoft Bioelectronics which is focusing on utilizing a novel soft electrode material in neural implants. The company comes out of Switzerland and has partnerships with the Stephanie Lacour lab and the Wyss Center

1:45 "Do you want to talk a little bit about yourself and your work and Neurosoft?"

4:30 "What's the benefit of soft versus hard implant?"

7:00 "Is the foreign body response, something that happens in ECOG as well, does the body react poorly to that?"

9:45 "So your guys device also doesn't have MRI artifacts. What is that? How is that and why is it important?"

11:45 How was it spinning off a company in Switzerland?

14:15 "You've seen the Swiss side and the American or, Boston side, how would you compare and contrast those?"

17:15 "You guys have been very successful with competitions and these kinds of grants in everything like that. Do you want to talk a little bit about this as well?"

20:15 "What are some kind of next steps or plans for the future?"

22:00 "You're utilizing such a soft device. Do you want to talk about this a little bit?"

24:00 "You guys also have the spinal cord stimulators, do you want to describe this?"

28:15 "Is there anything that we didn't talk about that you wanted to mention?"

Anish Kaushal is an analyst at Amplitude VC which is looking at investing in neurotech companies. In this episode we talk about what they look for when investing into a company

1:30 "Do you want to introduce yourself a little bit? "

10:30 "How is venture capital different in med tech versus Silicon Valley?"

14:15 "So you guys do, would you say that you guys put more research upfront into investments vs Silicon Valley-style investors?"

16:30 "Due Diligence for, six months or a year, what are you doing during that time? What takes so long?"

21:30 "If somebody wants to be like the best candidate, what would be the best candidate for you?"

26:30 "You guys haven't invested anything yet, but what's on your radar?"

31:00 "And then how about for neurotechnology neuromodulation, neural implants?"

34:30 "What are some misconceptions or what are some things that people don't know about VCs and, med tech, VCs that they probably should know about, or maybe that they think is, but it's wrong?"

38:00 "Is there anything that we didn't talk about that you wanted to mention?"

Dr Silvestro Micera is a professor at École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland focusing on developing neural interface implantations in patients.

In particular, the following research fields are currently investigated:

1. robotic systems for neurorehabilitation
2. experiments for the investigation of neural control of movement
3. development of neural interfaces with the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS).
4. development of hybrid neuro-prosthetic systems

1:15 "Do you want to explain your work?"

2:25 "You guys are very much into the compliant implants…do you wanna explain that a little bit?"

3:15 "You've worked in the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. Is there one that needs to be more compliant is the one that it needs to be softer?"

6:00 "One of your interests is a hybrid neuroprosthetic systems. Can you explain this? What is this?"

9:15 "one of the papers that you recently published actually was talking about enhancing the body with extra hands or fingers. Do you want to talk about this? And if this overloads the brain, that, do you want to talk about this?"

15:45 "do you have a favorite paper that you want to explain?"

21:45 "So that was your favorite paper. What about your, is that different than your most popular paper?"

23:00 "why did you get into this field?"

26:00 "What are your biggest challenges right now in your research?"

28:45 "And then you're doing this translational work. You're more that the process or the procedure and having that go into the clinic, how does that work?"

33:15 "I know the process a little bit in the U S is it different in Switzerland? This translational work?"

36:45 "Is there anything that we didn't talk about that you wanted to mention?"

Dr Warren Grill is a professor of biomedical engineering at duke university. He is the chief scientific officer of NDI medical LLC, Managing director of NDI Healthcare fund. He is the cofounder and chief scientific officer of Deep Brain innovations and Chief scientific advisor of SPR Theraputics.

His research interests are in neural engineering and neural prostheses including design and testing of electrodes and stimulation techniques, the electrical properties of tissues and cells, and computational neuroscience with applications in the restoration of bladder function, treatment of movement disorders with deep brain stimulation, and multi-joint limb movement. He has authored 250 peer-reviewed publications, and is an inventor on 54 issued patents.

2:15 "Do you want to talk a little bit about your work and how you've managed to publish 250 papers?"

4:45 "What do you think that's you're doing that there's a missing and what's the secret sauce?"

10:15 "How many people are in your lab?" 

12:00 "What is the thing that you believe that's maybe a little bit controversial in the field?"

15:15 "What are takeaways that you've had in your career about stimulation restoration and prosthetic control?"

24:00 Hear a bad joke that lands flat

24:30 "What is motivating you in this field? Why, especially neurotech?"

28:15 "How do you make sure applicable therapeutics and standards of practices transfer into the real world?"

32:15 "How do you balance those two things? Actually getting stuff done, actually getting things out to mass market without for lack of a better word, mental masturbation?"

 35:45 "What is the biggest challenge in your work?"

Eric Chang is a Neuroscientist and Assistant Professor at the Institutes of Bioelectronic Medicine and Molecular medicine at the Feinstein Institutes of medical research at Northwell Health. His areas of interests are Neuro-immunology, electrophysiology, microscopy and bioengineering. In today's episode, Eric talks to us about his work with the vagus nerve and approaches being used in his lab to understand signalling between the nervous system and immune system.

Top three takeaways:

1. We haven't got technology that can image individuals neurons connected to the vagus nerve but in the near future, the tools might evolve to do this.
2. Recording neural signals in different patients lets you see different types of variations across patients and informs how you design treatments based on that person's neurobiology.
3. "There are the traditional senses that are related to exteroception, like sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. There's a plethora of as I mentioned, interoceptive signals as well that have to do with organ function."

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Eric Chang

[1:50] Eric Chang introduces himself and his work. His lab is interested in finding the connection between the nervous system and immune system

[3:45] How is imaging different from electrophysiology and what are the advantages and disadvantages of both?

[6:10] "So I would say patch-clamp electrophysiology, which is patching a single cell with a glass pipette, is still the gold standard, but the tools are rapidly coming to the fore that are starting to replace that a little bit."

[11:20]  Eric talks about some of the challenges with imaging individual neurons connected to the vagus nerve, especially where there is a lot of movement.

[12:50]  While the technology is quite small now, it's not so small that it could quite fit into a necklace. Eric believes that somewhere in the next 5 - 10 years, something of the sort will be available.

[13:40] "Dr Tracey's work from two decades ago showed the discovery of something called the inflammatory reflex which is that If you electrically stimulate the vagus nerve under conditions of inflammation, let's say acute endotoxemia, then you can reduce levels of circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines"

[20:00] Eric discusses some of the tools used to tease apart different signals.

[23:05] Eric talks about some future breakthroughs he expects.

[27:00] "Yeah. So the nerve innervation exists for protection; it's for survival. We need to know when we're getting close to a fire"

[28:00] Eric talks about the importance of understanding pain.

[31:00] "There are the traditional senses that are related to exteroception, like sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. There's a plethora of as I mentioned, interoceptive signals as well that have to do with organ function."

Marom Bikson is a Biomedical Engineer. He is a Professor at the City College of New York City and also the co-director of the Neural Engineering Group. Marom has been at the City College of New York for over 15 years. He has a B.Sc in Biomedical Engineering from John Hopkins University and a PhD from Case Western University Cleveland. He cofounded Soterix Medical. Marom's research group studies the effects of electricity on the human body and applies this knowledge toward the development of medical devices and electrical safety guidelines.

In today's episode, Marom talks about his work with Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and how it works. He also talks about his work with NC Neuromodulation and Soterix Medical

Top three takeaways:

1. Transcranial means, through the cranium. And the thing that you're stimulating is targets inside the cortex. So you're trying to identify targets centrally that you think that you can activate. To lead to different therapeutic outcomes.
2. TDCS works by the application of direct electrical current to electrodes placed on the scalp.
3. "A lot of times when we think about TDCS, we think about changing the sensitivity. And then the question comes in with a sensitivity to what. Often TDCS is combined with other forms of therapy, like behavioural therapy, or physical therapy

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Prof Marom Bikson

[1:50] Marom introduces himself and his work

[2:30] Marom discusses the wave of persistent COVID symptoms that are referred to as neuro COVID and talks about some of the work he and his colleagues are doing around it.

[4:50] Marom describes how Transcranial Direct Current Simulation work.
" transcranial means, through the cranium. And the thing that you're stimulating is targets inside the cortex. So you're trying to identify targets centrally that you think that you can activate. To lead to different therapeutic outcomes."

[6:00] Marom discusses papers documenting the use of TDCS in different therapeutic areas such as depression and pain.

[7:45]  Currently, there is no FDA clearance for TDCS in the US so most of the work now happens in clinical trials. 

[10:10] TDCS works by the application of direct electrical current to electrodes placed on the scalp.

[13:40] "A lot of times when we think about TDCS, we think about changing the sensitivity. And then the question comes in with a sensitivity to what. Often TDCS is combined with other forms of therapy, like behavioural therapy, or physical therapy."

[16:20] Marom talks specifically about his research and some of his breakthroughs.

[20:50] Marom talks about his company, Soterix medical; the background for starting the company and what kind of problems they are solving

[27:40] Marom discusses NYC Neuromodulation which he co-founded.

"NYC neuromodulation has now run. I think about five times the last time was an online version. The two times before that we worked with other organizations, the North American neuromodulation society was partnered for one and neuromodulation of science was partnered for another."

[33:50] So what are some Big pieces of advice that you would say to other neural engineers?

" If you're loving what you're doing, then that probably means you're on the right path."

Dustin Tyler is a Kent H Smith professor at the Case Western Reserve University and the Director of the Human Fusions Institute. He has a secondary appointment as the principal investigator at the Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veteran Affairs Medical centre. His expertise and interests include directly connecting humans and technology over the neural system to improve human performance and capability. His areas of work include clinical trials of Class III medical devices with emphasis on neural interfaces; acute and chronic pre-clinical studies in small and large mammalian models, and computational neuroscience. In today's episode, Dustin talks about his work with brain-computer interfaces and some of the exciting breakthroughs he has seen in the past 10 years. 

Top three takeaways:

1. "Most people think brain-computer interfaces are whole brain implants, but in reality, they are more correctly cortical interfaces, which is only a small part of the brain. Peripheral interfaces are also brain-computer interfaces and generally engage all of the brain."
2. "In an experiment, Dustin and his team found that simply by adding sensation, and hence engaging human-in-the-loop control, participants had more success performing delicate grasping and manipulation exercises."
3. "So we have augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), and the next advance forward is NeuroReality. And, what I mean by that is that we're actually connecting directly technology to the human nervous system."

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Dustin Tyler

[2:00] Dustin starts the conversation by explaining what the term 'Brain-computer interface' really means and introduces us to his work focus on the peripheral nervous system

[4:00] Dustin discusses some of the differences between the sensory and motor neurons; breaks down the mechanics behind what's happening in the nervous system to stimulate sensation; and some of the breakthroughs of switching from non-human primates to clinical work.

[11:50] Dustin shares some of the other success that his research team have had with amputees and other patients

[14:40]  "It's unlikely is that the nerve itself just stops responding to electrical stimulation. Based on a long history of activity, that's unlikely, but we couldn't rule that out."

[17:00]  Dustin describes an experiment where participants with prosthesis were asked to remove the stems from cherry and the remarkable difference observed when patients were given the sensation of feeling even over vision.

" What it says is how intricately your sensations are in this feedback in the control system. That vision is actually a really poor control."

[19:00] "Even with a poor control system, patients can gain a whole lot more by adding sense into that loop"

[28:30] We don't really have any best practices. We have found that frequency tends to be what we prefer in terms of modulating pressure. 

[33:30] "So. I think the field in general right now is looking at and rightfully so again, the information content of what we can put into the peripheral nerve and how we do that."

[36:20] "What we're kind of looking at now is, next level, which is adding touch. So it's a third dimension that we can now add. And if you think if you've ever been in VR, when you reach out to touch something, you can't touch it, it kind of. Destroys the illusion. A lot of ways we can change that now where you can actually feel when you're doing through that, um, through that system."

[37:00] Dustin discusses some of the ideas and possibilities that come with thinking of this new area termed Neural Reality.

[47:30] Unlike with cyberpunk, with the interface, we aren't changing you. The interface is there but when it's turned off, it doesn't exist

[49:40] Dustin talks about some of the work coming in the future and some of the projects he is currently excited about.

Professor Paul is an assistant professor of Bioengineering, Neurosurgery and Electrical Engineering at Stanford University. He received a B.S. degree in cybernetics from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 2006. He received an M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in bioengineering and M.D degree from Stanford University in 2011, 2012, and 2014, respectively. His postdoctoral work was with Jaimie Henderson and Krishna Shenoy in the Neural Prosthetics Translational Laboratory. In today's episode, we feature Professor Paul's video where the discusses the recently released video by Neuralink of a monkey test subject playing pong wirelessly and its significance for the fields of neuro-engineering and systems neuroscience.

Top three takeaways:

1. At 1024 channels, the Neuralink team have surpassed the previous breakthroughs in the number of transmitting channels
2. They (Neuralink) are sampling from the brain at a higher density than what is possible with more conventional chronically implanted electrodes like the Utah electrode array.
3. "For an expert in the field, this video represents a pretty big step for us"

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Paul 

[1:10] Paul introduces himself, his work and gives full disclosure about his relationship with the Neuralink team. He isn't affiliated with the team in any way.

[3:40] (Audio from Neuralink video) Test subject is introduced and Paul describes the setting of the experiment

[6:15] Paul breakdown the enclosure and describes the setting of the experiment

[7:30]  (Audio from Neuralink video) "The links record from more than 2000 electrodes". Paul explains the implication of having 2000 electrode implants.

[10:15]  Paul explains why it's impressive to have 1024 channels presumably in Pager (the test subject). "The larger the sphere, the stronger the depth of modulation"

[12:40] (Audio from Neuralink video) "As he is playing this game, we are wirelessly streaming in real-time, the firing rates of thousands of neurons to a computer" Paul talks about the information on the panel and what it tells us about the experiment system.

[20:30]  Paul talks about brain activity and speculates what decoding algorithm is running. 

[22:30] Paul pauses the experiment video to bring attention to a click that happened too fast. "This couldn't be running a dwell"

[26:00] (Video ends) Paul reflects over the potential impact of the video and the work Neuralink is doing. "For an expert in the field, this video represents a pretty big step for us"

Watch the video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzNOuJIzk2E&ab_channel=BrainInterfacingLaboratory

Andrew Cornwell is the Director of industrial and strategic collaborations for the Cleveland FES centre. He is also Director of the VA Translational Education Mentoring Centre and Associate Director at Care Coulter Translational partnership. In today's episode, Andrew talks about the importance of translational research, the process and some of the achievements of the Cleveland FES centre.

Top three takeaways:

1. Translational work is concerned with solving the inefficient of getting Academic work into the clinic. 
2. Cleveland FES Centre has a new program called the Neuro Design program, set up to grow the base of entrepreneurial talent in Cleveland with a focus on neurotechnology.
3. Application for the second cohort of the Neuro Design program at Cleveland FES centres is currently open and you can apply to the program at www.clevelandneurodesign.org.

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Andrew Cornwell

[1:45] 'I try to spend my time solving the inefficiencies of getting Academic work into the clinic'

[2:30] Why is translational research in medicine important? Why is it necessary for translational work to exist?

[5:00] Andrew Cornwall describes the process of the work he does from when someone approaches him with an idea, to the point where that idea is made into a consumer product.

[9:10]  Why aren't there more places like Cleveland FES centre?

[12:20]  Andrew talks about the importance of collaboration and cites an interesting example he read on how research productivity increased when a history department was put in the same building as a neuroscience department

[14:40] Andrew discusses some of the companies that have come out of the Cleveland FES centre and the projects that have come out from the centre.

[16:00] The centre has recently started a new program called Neuro Design designed to grow the base of entrepreneurial talent in Cleveland with a focus on neurotechnology.

[17:00]  Andrew discusses the Biodesign program and the different phases: clinical immersion, prototyping phases and designing a business plan

[20:35] We are currently recruiting for our cohort next year and you can apply to the program at clevelandneurodesign.org. Strong preferences for applicants include clinical experience, strong engineering background, research background, builder, industry experience etc.

[24:50] If you had unlimited funding, what would you do with it?

[28:00] "We need to do a better job of this, pouring money into what we call translational research… And I think it's a great credit to them that they've recognized that this is an area where there's some room for improvement and, The VA is deeply passionate about their mission of taking care of veterans."

In this special episode recorded after the workshop in Barcelona, I talk with Nicolas Barabino and Antoni Ivorra, two of the key organizers behind the 2025 Active Implantable Medical Devices (AIMD) Workshop. We dive into the vision behind this growing event, which brings together top researchers, engineers, clinicians, and entrepreneurs to explore the cutting edge of implantable medical devices.

Nicolas and Antoni share insights on the evolution of AIMD technologies, the role of multidisciplinary collaboration, and how this annual workshop is shaping the next generation of innovators. We also touch on the challenges that startups face in the space—regulatory hurdles, IP strategy, and the importance of academic-industry partnerships.

Whether you're a student curious about the field or a seasoned expert navigating the complexities of medical implants, this conversation is packed with valuable takeaways from the heart of Europe's neurotech and medtech community.

This episode is sponsored by Black Swan IP – patent strategy and legal support for neurotech innovators. Learn more at www.blackswan-ip.com/

Top 3 Takeaways:

• This year's AIMD workshop struck a successful balance between clinical research and industry—50/50 over two days. Feedback from both local and international attendees praised the diverse topics, especially the sessions on soft electrodes and innovative implantable technologies.
• The AIMD Workshop stood out for its diverse programming—not just cutting-edge technology talks like those on soft electrodes, but also valuable discussions on market strategy, startup resources, and IP, including insights from a patent lawyer on what investors really look for. This blend of technical and business perspectives resonated strongly with attendees. 
• At events like AIMD, aim for just one meaningful 10–15 minute conversation per day—enough to be memorable and lay the groundwork for a follow-up. Quality over quantity builds lasting connections.

1:00 Antoni, do you want to talk about why you were hosting the workshop and what you liked about it?

2:15 Nicolas, do you want to introduce yourself again?

4:30 It was aimed at students, what percentage were students?

5:15 What kind of talks were there?

8:15 Can we define Active Impalntable Medical Device and why was it focused on neurotech?

11:00 Sponsorship by blackswan-ip 

11:30 What will next year's meeting look like?

12:45 Which of the topics have some of the biggest future in the field?

17:45 What kind of advice do you have for students who can attend these kinds of conferences?

21:00 Anything that we didn't talk about that you wanted to mention?

Nick Halper is a cofounder of Braingrade, where he and his team are developing a brain-computer interface to reverse the cognitive deficits associated with Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Before founding Braingrade, he worked at Blackrock Microsystems as a project manager on the product, support, engineering and software teams. In today's episode, Nick talks about his transition from academia to industry and then from leaving a stable job to joining an early-stage startup in the middle of a pandemic. He also talks about the work he is doing with his new company, Braingrade.

Top three takeaways:

1. Braingrade is working on implantable devices geared towards the memory circuit.
2. Working remotely has created a system to employ lots of talented people without the usual barrier of location.
3. There are currently openings and Braingrade for talented young people looking to contribute to their work.

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Nick Halper

[2:20] Nick Halper introduces Braingrade to the public. He talks about his background and how he got started with Braingrade.

[5:30] Braingrade is working on an implantable device geared at the memory circuit and hippocampus. A disease they are working to have a real impact in treating is Alzheimer's disease.

[7:30] Some aspects of the company (Braingrade) are defined by COVID, for instance, Peter and Nick work in completely different parts of the world. This structure has helped produce an incredible team of people by removing the barrier of entry.

[10:00]  Nick talks about working with a team completely remotely and setting up a work culture that keeps everyone feeling included.

[11:20]  Braingrade is hiring for Head electrical engineering and a few other roles.

[13:00] Challenges: A neurodegenerative disorder is an interesting one to tackle and that will differently come with its challenges. 

[15:30] Speaking on how medical regulations should actually be seen as guidance rather than challenges, Nick discusses how he sees the opportunity to have constructive discussions and interaction with institutions like the FDA on moving your project forward.

[16:55] Nick talks about his career jump from academia to industry to joining a med device startup

[18:30] If you had unlimited funding, what would you do?

[22:50] Reminder: Braingrade is currently hiring for positions to join their team doing cutting edge work in Alzheimer's research and memory enhancement,

Yael Haneun is a professor of Electrical Engineering at Tel Aviv University. Her research field is neuro-engineering, focusing on developing wearable electronic and bionic vision. She is also the VP of Nano Retina and has previously worked as a research associate at the University of Washington. In today's episode, Yael talks about her work in neuro-engineering and some breakthroughs with electrophysiological tools.

Top three takeaways:

1. With soft dry electrodes, you have a system that is truly wireless.
2. Wet electrodes are better for short durations and dry electrodes are better for long durations.
3. At the moment, Yael's company is focusing on 3 directions, sleeping monitoring, sports application and developing a kit for other researchers to apply the technology.

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Yael Hanein

[1:55] Yael introduces her work in neuro-engineering; giving a timelapse from her work in electrophysiology to her recent work using electrophysiological tools for skin applications.

[2:45] EEGs are basically electrodes on the skin, Yael explains the mechanics of using EEGs.

[6:00] 'Wet electrodes are for short durations and dry electrodes are for long durations.' Yale breaks down the explains the functional lifetime of the two different electrode setup and when to use either.

[6:45]  The information we get from these electrodes is electrophysiological. The first thing we use the electrodes to get was facial mapping and facial expressions.

[12:25]  Yael discusses what academic life is like in Israel. She talks about some of the similarities and differences with American academic life. 

[15:20] Yael talks about starting a company, the motivation behind it and the difficulties of going commercial.

[21:15] What are some of the challenges with the research and making it more mainstream?

[26:45] Thomas discusses his role at Cortec-neuro

Thomas Stieglitz is a professor at the University of Freiburg where he does research on the development of biocompatible construction and interconnection technology as well as the use of microsystems for neuroprosthesis and neuromodulation. Thomas Stieglitz is also on the scientific-technical advisory board of Cortec- Neuro. In today's episode, Thomas talks about is work in neuromodulation, shares insights on the best materials for implant development and finally, share some of the challenges faced with neuroprosthesis.

Top three takeaways:

1. Polymers have a lot of advantages as materials for implants. They are more flexible than Silicon although they are not as flexible as 
2. Making the ideal implant takes targeting very well. And tailoring functionality to needs. General-purpose implants will not work
3. 3d printing has injected a new wave of possibility in the world of prosthetics

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Thomas Stieglitz

[3:30] Thomas Stieglitz talks about the different disciplines of Neural interfaces / neural electrodes and the motivation for his work.

[8:00] Polymers have a list of advantages. One is that they are more flexible than Silicon. Another is their variety of shapes.

[9:20] Silicon has advantages in certain areas. It is the best technology for recording and stimulating

[13:00]  Thomas Stieglitz talks about the P dot polymer, what it is and how it works.

[16:35]  Thomas Stieglitz talks about the ideal implant and describes the most robust and reliable implant you can have

[18:50] It will be an exciting development to see a paper on the comprehensive model of a digital twin of implant failure nodes.

[23:30]  In Europe, without any institution like the IDE, there is no seamless way to get implants to human trials without negotiating with a legal entity to prove potential for success

[26:45] Thomas discusses his role at Cortec-neuro

[27:35] There are good and bad aspects of working with implants. Sometimes implants are damaged because Surgery personnel are not careful enough or rehabilitation personnel don't follow the manual and break the connectors.

[30:00] "We believe that now, that we can predict with the data that we have and some additional in vitro experiments that we did after getting them back to proving something that those pieces can survive up to 5 billion of stimulation, pulses."

Rob Spence is a documentary film-maker. He lost his right eye as a child during a shotgun accident at his grandparents home. Thirteen years ago, he replaced his prosthetic eye with a wireless video camera. He continues to make improvements on the eye and has produced films about people living with bionic implants. In today's episode, Rob talks to us about living with a camera implant and the fast-moving world of bionics.

Top three takeaways:

1. There's room for improvement in the area of eye prosthetics, especially to increase the adoption of cameras that can restore vision for the completely visually impaired.
2. Ethics and privacy are big issues when you have a camera installed into your eye socket.
3. 3d printing has injected a new wave of possibility in the world of prosthetics

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Rob Spence

[1:40] Rob Spence shares the story behind losing his eyes during a shotgun accident as a child.

[3:40] After living a few years with an eye patch, Rob, now a filmmaker, decided to get a prosthetic camera.

[6:50] Rob works with a team on improving the camera and making it better. He talks in detail about what goes into making a good 'eye camera'.

[11:15]  On some of his filmmaking projects, Rob is giving enough creative freedom that he occasionally includes footage from his camera.

[13:20]  It's difficult turning the 'eye camera' into a mass prosthetic product because each one has to be made custom for the wearer.

[18:50] For blind people, there's some benefit in connecting an implanted camera to the optic nerve to restore some level of vision.

[24:00]  There is quite a bit of ethical consideration to keep in mind when you have a camera in your eye. People often bring up how it threatens the privacy of the people I capture with my eye.

[26:05] "I just have a hole in my head and I wanted to put a cool camera in there"

Ryan Tanaka is the host of Neura Pod which is the Youtube channel and podcast specifically about Elon Musk's Neuralink company.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDukC60SYLlPwdU9CWPGx9Q

"My interest from for Neuralink primarily started because of working at Tesla previously, and then just getting more and more exposure to Elon Musk and some of the other projects that he's been working on and then realizing that Neuralink is going to be a substantially larger company in the future."

Matt Angle is the founder and CEO of Paradromics, a Brain-Computer Interface company that can handle up to 65,000 simultaneous channels. He was on the show 2 years ago and is updating us on new happenings at Paradromics. He also talks about their new Neurotech Pub Podcast which brings together neurotech leaders in a roundtable podcast.

"And I think you'd say also, early nascent industry is like a bank heist. Everyone is friends. Until they get the money and then everyone tries to kill each other. And I think that we're, neurotechnology is still in the, like trying to get the money side of the bank heist. The markets are just opening up."

Dr. Rio Vetter is the Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at NeuroNexus. Dr. Alexis Paez is the Director of Science Outreach at NeuroNexus. NeuroNexus hosted a virtual conference in mid-November. In this episode, Dr. Rio Vetter and Dr. Alexis Paez discuss the NeuroNexus Symposium. 

Top three takeaways: 

1.  The NeuroNexus Symposium had themes for each day including neural interface technology, neurophysiology, optogenetics, and optical microscopy techniques. 
2.  The symposium included attendees from over 36 countries and over 1700 participants.
3. There have been great advancements in optogenetics concerning non-human primates. 

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guests, Dr. Rio Vetter and Dr. Alexis Paez.  

[4:30]  The reason for the symposium was to bring researchers together during the time of COVID. 

[9:20] In the future, they hope to expand to include more projects and involve even more people. 

[13:30] The future of electrotechnology is to increase the bandwidth and number of electrodes. 

[20:30]  Dr. Alexis Paez discusses the optogenetics presentations that were given. 

[25:11]  Dr. Rio Vetter summarizes the presentations given about optical microscopy techniques. 

[30:00] Considering time zone differences is important in creating the schedule for the symposium.  

 [35:00] Virtual components could become an important factor in future conferences once in-person events occur.

Dr. Ben Paul is the founder and CEO of Neuroloom. Neuroloom is located in the United Kingdom and works to create new neuro-technology. In this episode, Dr. Ben Paul discusses how Neuroloom develops an effective way to stimulate neurons. 

Top three takeaways: 

1.  Neuroloom electrodes mitigate the intensity of the immune response and immune-rejection of invasive devices
2. The goal is to use tissue engineering techniques and apply those to neuronal circuits to create living electrodes. 
3. As opposed to penetrative electrodes, the hybrid electrodes are planar and neurons culture on top of them.  

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Dr. Ben Paul.  

[2:10] Dr. Ben Paul gives a background of his education and how it led to the creation of Neuroloom.

[6:20] The way the Neuroloom electrodes are built, the interfacing area is less disturbed by an immune response. 

[17:20] The prototype device uses 3D printed structures, living neurons, and electrode arrays.  

[27:15]  Neuroloom is a lean company when dealing with producing designs and getting the basic science of the device demonstrated. 

Scott Kim is the Co-Founder and CEO at Neofect. Neofect provides technologies that work to provide stroke victims with rehabilitation devices that can increase their range of motion. These devices include smart gloves and ankle braces. In this episode, Scott Kim discusses how Neofect technology is assisting stroke victims. 

Top three takeaways: 

1. The user receives a smart-glove and a tablet with the Neofect App. 
2. Each therapeutic session consists of eight different "training games" that allow users to regain mobility lost from a stroke injury. 
3. This technology allows users to achieve rehabilitation results from their own homes. 

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Scott Kim.  

[2:40] Scott Kim describes the beginnings of Neofect and their devices. 

[5:40] The smart glove works by measuring six targets of motion guided by the therapist coach. 

[7:50] An initial range of motion for each activity is captured as a baseline, then progress is determined over time through improved performance. 

[10:55] The therapists at Neofect report a 10% improvement in the range of motion of users. 

[15:00] While the main target with the device is stroke victims, the technology can be applied to other injuries in the future. 

[18:00] The company recently launched Neofect Connect, which gives users daily reading and training games.   

Lloyd Diamond is the CEO of Pixium Vision. Dry age-related macular degeneration affects millions of people globally. Using an insertable implant in the eye in combination with lenses, central vision focus can be regained. In this episode, Lloyd Diamond discusses how Pixium Vision is creating a solution to dry age-related macular degeneration.

Top three takeaways: 

1. There is a dry and wet form of age-related macular degeneration. The dry form makes up 80% of all cases.
2. The degeneration begins in the center of the eye and then migrates to the periphery at the age of 60-65. 
3. The implant is no thicker than a human hair and contains 378 independent electrodes on it, activated by light. 

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Lloyd Diamond.  

[1:50] Diamond explains the need for a device like the PRIMA system. 

[4:00] The macular degeneration (AMD) targets the central vision portion of the retina, making it difficult to read or recognize faces. 

[7:00] The retinal surgery recovery time is four weeks. After this, the activation and rehabilitation process begins. 

[9:30] A pair of lenses that houses a camera are used in combination with the implant.  

[11:45] The entire event of observance to signal processing occurs in microseconds, so the user is unaware of the reaction time of the device.   

[16:00] Their new data proves that using clear glasses and the implant, it is possible to read as small as size eight font. This demonstrates seven lines of improvement on an ETDRS chart. 

[19:00] Diamond discusses the history of Pixium.  

[21:30] Due to the difficulty in regulatory approval for these types of implants, AMD research is not as common as retinitis pigmentosa. 

[25:00] The ability to be independent and recognize family members' faces makes the rehabilitation time and procedure appealing to the aged population.  

[27:20] The future goal is to sell in Europe first and then bring devices to the US using FDA approval.    

In this episode, we sit down with Chad Andresen, Chief Business Officer of Lunosa, to explore a groundbreaking approach to treating obstructive sleep apnea. Lunosa is developing a self-expanding, injectable neurostimulator that aims to replace invasive facial surgeries with a minimally invasive, high-impact solution — tapping into a $10 billion market. Chad also reflects on his time at Stimwave, a pioneering neuromodulation company that saw both innovation and controversy. He shares insights from testifying against Stimwave's former CEO, lessons learned from the company's collapse, and how those experiences shape Lunosa's vision and execution today.

This episode is sponsored by Black Swan IP – patent strategy and legal support for neurotech innovators. Learn more at www.blackswan-ip.com/

Top 3 Takeaways:

• User feedback can vary drastically by region — while patients in Mexico and Europe reported positive results, U.S. participants were far more critical and vocal, revealing major usability issues that had been previously overlooked.
• A major red flag in a startup is when experienced, well-tempered professionals leave quickly and repeatedly — it often signals deeper cultural or leadership issues that young founders may overlook until it's too late.
• Lunosa developed a novel "nerve net" implant that works like a fishing net—capturing multiple nerve branches responsible for tongue movement in sleep apnea—offering selective stimulation to activate helpful muscles while avoiding unwanted ones.

1:30 Do you want to introduce yourself better than I just did?

3:00 How did your career start?

5:15 How did the founding of StimWave look like?

7:15 How did that ramp up look like?

12:15 How did things go wrong?

17:15 What exactly was the issue that caused all the problems?

20:15 Sponsorship by blackswan-ip 

20:45 How did you find out that things had gone wrong?

26:15 What are some lessons learned from this process?

31:30 Do you want to talk about the misalignment of incentives often coming from VC funding?

35:30 Let's talk about LunOsa

44:00 What are some other exciting things coming from LunOsa?

47:00 Anything else that you wanted to mention?

Renee Ryan is the CEO and Dr. Kate Roosenbluth is the founder, CSO, and member of the board of directors for Cala Health.  The company creates bioelectronic neuromodulation devices to mitigate the effects of chronic diseases. In this episode, Renee Ryan and Dr. Kate Rosenbluth discuss how the Cala Trio device controls essential tremors. 

Top three takeaways: 

1.  The Cala Trio device uses the nerve circuitry of the body to calm tremors by stimulating a part of the brain through the wrist. 
2.  Accelerometer sensors in each of the devices assess the efficacy of each use. 
3.  There is a digital screen on the watch that displays time, length of session, and tasks. 

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guests, Renee Ryan and Dr. Kate Rosenbluth.  

[4:50] Dr. Kate Rosenbluth explains the history of the company and its goals.  

[7:00] The wearable device goes on the user's wrist to stimulate the ventral intermediate nucleus in the brain. 

[9:00] The essential tremors are characterized by action tremors in the hands, which makes daily tasks incredibly difficult.  

[13:40] Cala Health plans to accomplish more wrist-based projects to help mitigate other chronic diseases. 

[16:30] Renee Ryan explains her transition from investor to CEO at Cala Health. 

[19:30] The demand for the Cala Trio device was so great that the clinical trials were fully enrolled within 6 weeks.  

[22:30] Due to the wristband having dry electrodes, the band needs to be replaced every 90 days. 

 [25:20] A new device trial has started that includes a new band technology.

Iain McIntyre is the CEO and co-founder of Humm. Humm creates devices such as the Bioelectric Memory Patch that use electricity to stimulate the brain. The disposable forehead device has shown to cause an increase in brain functionality and memory. 

In this episode, Iain McIntyre discusses how the Humm Bioelectric Memory Patch provides a brain-boost. 

Top three takeaways: 

1. When this device improves your working memory, it is improving your capabilities to focus, multitask, and acquire new skills. 
2. The Humm Bioelectric Memory Patch brings neuromodulation to a cheaper and smaller design compared to traditional devices. 
3. The benefits of use compound over time; even in the beginning stages, 15 minutes of use could provide up to two hours of mental performance improvement. 

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Iain McIntyre.  

[2:50] The Bioelectric Memory Patch device works by delivering tACS to stimulate the prefrontal cortex and improve working memory.

[5:00] The research studies done at Berkeley showed that users of the patch had a 20% increase in working memory effectiveness.  

[8:20] McIntyre describes it as a compound interest transaction, the more the patch is used, the greater the benefits each time. 

[11:10] Humm can provide results in a safe manner where there are rarely side effects due to the low amount of current. 

[14:00] While trials and data collection currently assess healthy users; in the future, the project will be used to help with neurological diseases. 

[17:00] Interestingly, the test groups that were found to have the most need for such a device are college students and the elderly. 

[21:10] With a 15-minute session, you can achieve an hour and a half of noticeable brain activity improvement.  

Dr. Sangeeta Chavan is a professor at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. In September of 2020, the Feinstein Institutes hosted its fourth annual Bioelectronic Medicine Summit located in New York. In this episode, Dr. Sangeeta Chavan discusses the key takeaways of the summit. 

Top three takeaways: 

1. Bioelectronic medicine uses modulation and stimulation of neural activity for the benefit of those with diseases as an alternative to drugs. 
2. Various advances are being made in clinical trials dealing with problems such as Crohn's disease, neural plasticity disorders, and vision loss. 
3. Vagus nerve stimulation has opened a gateway to many bioelectronic medicine applications. 

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Dr. Sangeeta Chavan.  

[3:40]  Dr. Chavan discusses Dr. Kevin Tracey's background in neuromodulation.  

[5:10]  Bioelectronic medicine takes into account molecular mechanisms and neural circuits that contribute to diseases, to be able to modulate them. 

[7:20] At the summit, Dr. Chris Puleo discussed non-invasive neuromodulation using ultrasound as a form of therapy. 

[9:30] The speakers that inspired Dr. Chavan the most were Dr. Molly Stevens and Dr. Chris Collier for their cutting-edge projects.  

[11:50] The keynote speaker for the second day was Dr. Lawrence Steinman, whose research focuses on the role of amyloid proteins in inflammatory disease models. 

[13:40] Dr. Larry Miller spoke about the uses of bioelectronic medicine in regulating sphincter function.   

[15:00] Targeting nerves to treat diseases has been proven to work for many patients and is continuing to grow. 

To learn more about the Feinstein Institutes, listen to these episodes: Dr. Stavros Zanos, Dr. Kevin Tracey, Jojo Platt, Dr. Harbi Sohal 

Dr. Owen Phillips is the co-founder and CEO of Brainkey. Their mission is to "revolutionize brain health care by helping people access, understand, and benefit from advances in our understanding of the human brain". Brainkey's work allows patients to view their own MRI scans in 3-D while teaching them about the regions of the brain through an online platform. In this episode, Dr. Owen Phillips discusses how BrainKey develops 3-D MRI visualizations.  

Top three takeaways: 

1. An MRI consists of photographic slices of your brain put together to produce an image. Brainkey takes these images and makes a 3-D model. 
2. 3-D imaging allows for biometric data to be collected that could provide more information about neurological diseases. 
3. Your brain age can be calculated through the MRI scans, giving patients data to track brain health.  

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Dr. Owen Phillips.   

[2:30] Dr. Owen Phillips explains how Brainkey makes medical imaging friendly for the patient. 

[4:00]  By developing relationships with MRI centers, Brainkey can provide affordable MRI scans. 

[6:20] Repeated Brainkey MRI scans can allow patients to view how their brain has changed over time and check on their brain health. 

[8:30] As a HIPAA compliant company, they ensure that patient data is secure.  

[10:20] Aside from getting a 3-D visualization, you can also get a life-size 3-D print of your brain. 

[13:25] While many are still able to upload their MRI into Brainkey, COVID has made it difficult to provide MRI scans as easily. 

Dr. Alfred Poor is the editor and publisher at Health Tech Insider. Aside from this, he is also a technology speaker and writer, providing insight into the health technology community. In this episode, Dr. Alfred Poor discusses current events in brain-computer interface technology. 

Top three takeaways: 

1. Health Tech Insider provides newsletters that cover wearable mobile devices for health and medical applications. 
2. In this time of online conferences, it takes great lighting, audio, and engagement to be a successful speaker. 
3. It is becoming increasingly popular for doctors to remotely monitor patients.  

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Dr. Alfred Poor.  

[2:20] Dr. Poor discusses the differences between online and onsite conferences. 

[5:10] Dr. Poor emphasizes the importance of having an online conference structure that allows for audience participation. 

[8:20] Using an external camera and microphone during online meetings can keep members engaged and help presenters get their message across clearly.   

[11:40] After the COVID-19 pandemic, the new normal will include much more online events than previously.  

[13:10] Dr. Poor describes his roles at Health Tech Insider. 

[16:30] Brain-computer interface technology is creating ways to close a feedback loop for motion and senses in the body.   

[18:10] Smartphone technology has accelerated the progress of brain-computer interface devices.  

[21:35] Monitoring of blood sugar levels has become exponentially easier over time due to continuous glucose monitors and now under-the-skin sensors.  

[25:00] Artificial intelligence and machine learning play key roles in making use of the biometric data collected with new technologies.  

[28:30] A new Galaxy watch product will be able to take in blood pressure and ECG.

This week's guests from NICO Corporation are Jim Pearson, who is the founder, president, and CEO, and Joseph Mark, CTO. The third guest is Dr. Julian Bailes, part of the NorthShore University Health System as Co-Director of the NorthShore Neurological Institute. The NICO Corporation is based in Indianapolis. Their technology has been used in over 35,000 brain surgeries, published in 100+ clinical articles, and they have been awarded hundreds of patents on their technology and surgical methodologies. In this episode, Jim Pearson, Dr. Julian Bailes, and Joseph Mark discuss how NICO Corporation is innovating brain surgery. 

Top three takeaways: 

1. The brain is the last and only major organ in the human body left to not have a Minimally Invasive approach. NICO is changing this through the use of their interventional technology coupled with advanced imaging. The brain's fiber tracks can be identified, and these images are then coupled with NICO's technology allowing imaging and intervention to be used simultaneously, resulting in more effective and safe brain surgeries.    
2. NICO Corporation has developed technologies and a brain surgery approach that displaces tissue using the natural folds to gain access rather than slicing through it and it has successfully been used over 35,000 brain surgeries. 
3. Their current technology has solved the demanding problem of internal safe access to deep areas in the brain to remove a tumor or a blood clot. Now, their next challenge is about "putting technology into the brain".  They are at the cutting edge of Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) and they are accomplishing this by being the first to implant a computer chip deep in the brain (not just on the surface) where 99% of the functioning of the brain occurs.   

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guests, Jim Pearson, Joseph Mark, and Dr. Julian Bailes.  

[3:35] Jim Pearson discusses the start of NICO Corporation.  

[5:25] Dr. Julian Bailes tells of his experience as a neurosurgeon working with NICO Corporation.   

[7:30] Joseph Mark describes the process of designing devices that provide safe access to the brain. 

[10:00] The displacement method does not cut through tissue but rather moves it while keeping it intact.  

[13:10] Other aspects such as tissue preservation and biological preservation are beginning to show importance in brain tumor research.  

[16:20] Their next project is to implant a murine model in a rat to show that it is possible to get in and out of the deepest areas of the brain without compromising brain function. This is where 99% of the functionality is and the most important aspect of the brain.

[18:17] For human patients, the access portals are 11 and 13.5 millimeters in diameter; and these values are scaled down for animal implants. 

[21:30] The future of NICO Corporation is finding ways to surgically place things into the brain causing the least damage and minimizing invasion. 

[24:00] Their current focus is a major trial on hemorrhagic strokes, which Dr.Bailes is a part of. 

[27:20] The group seeks to find what effect the mechanical interfaces have on the final results of the brain surgery. 

[31:15] The NICO Corporation ensures that each customer of their devices is properly trained before use. 

Gordon Wilson is the co-founder and CEO of Rain Neuromorphics. They work on technologies that improve memory processing, analog computation, and scalable systems. In this episode, Gordon Wilson discusses how Rain Neuromorphics recreates neural networks. 

Top three takeaways: 

1. Rain Neuromorphics prides itself on providing technology that has reimagined the analog multiplication architecture. 
2. GPUs are the standard hardware used for neural networks because of their capability of performing matrix algebra.
3. It is important to focus on technology that processes information at the source.

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Gordon Wilson.  

[2:40] Wilson describes why building a brain is necessary for understanding it.  

[4:40] In this research, it is fundamental to understand the difference between digital and analog signal processing. 

[7:10] Processing in memory consists of using analog processors to complete matrix math. 

[9:40] The Rain Neuromorphics technology allows scaling up of analog processing to build larger neural networks. 

[12:30] Current projects include fabricating nano-wires that perform matrix multiplication.  

[14:50] Chips that are analog and scalable are very well suited to be the kind of device in brain processing.  

[16:30] The "memristor" is programmable and capable of changing resistance values.  

[19:30] Rain Neuromorphics completes multidisciplinary projects in the Bay area.   

[21:47] The product that Rain Neuromorphics will bring to the market will be a massive, sparsely connected array of neurons.  

[24:40] A "puff" occurs when wires are placed in a stochastic fashion in such a way that they are physically unclonable. 

Dr. Ivan Gligorijević is the co-founder and CEO of mBrainTrain, based in Serbia. Their main goal is to improve the quality of life of users through non-invasive electrode technology. In this episode, Dr. Ivan Gligorijević discusses how mBrainTrain is producing a mobile EEG device. 

Top three takeaways: 

1. The headphone design of the device makes it easy to use in everyday conditions. 
2. Through this methodology of data collection, there is no invasiveness or risk to the individual.   
3. The goal of the device is to help users gain back their time and life through the optimization of their mental state.  

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Dr. Ivan Gligorijević.  

[2:10] Gligorijević explains how the headphone device is suitable for recording brain activity in everyday conditions. 

[4:30] With the EEG data obtained in the headset, more can be learned about a person's mental workload, focus, and even quantification of stress. 

[8:00] The device consists of electrodes at the ears and top of the headphone to extract part of the EEG. 

[10:30] Gligorijević emphasizes the importance of scientific studies confirming the positive effects and strategies of similar headphone devices. 

[12:40] Being based in Serbia, it can be difficult to gain funding but the mBrainTrain team received a grant in 2014. 

[15:50] The future direction for the company is to bring EEG to everyday people and have it be viewed as a new type of interface. 

[17:40] mBrainTrain firmly believes that having technology that is scientifically proven to work through research is necessary. 

Top three takeaways: 

1. The goal is to accelerate the translation of devices to be able to reach patients globally.  
2. Jojo Platt is the co-creator of Skraps, a podcast that focuses on the inspirations and stories of influential people in various scientific fields.  
3. There is an important conversation to be had about the future of implantable devices and user privacy. 

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Jojo Platt.  

[2:15] Platt talks about her involvement in the MSRI-EC conference. 

[5:36] The conference included video testimonials from Ian Burkhart and Kelly Owens, both research advocates and participants.   

[7:00] Vanessa Tolosa, one of the founding members of Elon Musk's Neuralink, also gave a presentation at the conference. 

[12:24] Platt emphasizes the need for the public to discuss the privacy of information associated with brain-computer interface technology. 

[14:03] Skraps is a new podcast that Jojo Platt and her partner Arun Sridhar created, having guests from various fields talk about their experiences and inspirations.

Richard Hanbury is the founder and CEO of Sana Health. Their device consists of a non-addictive mask and headphones that use stimulation to increase balance in the hemispheres of the brain. This leads to greater relaxation and can mitigate the effects of fibromyalgia, pain, anxiety, and depression. In this episode, Richard Hanbury discusses how Sana Health's device can help users achieve relaxation. 

Top three takeaways: 

1. The Sana Health sleep mask and headphones use pulses of light and sound to help users get better sleep.  
2. By stimulating the left and right hemispheres of the brain to a balance, users can reach a deeply relaxed state. 
3. The device is sold on the basis of monthly subscriptions, with users even being given a free one-month trial period. 

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Richard Hanbury.  

[2:20] Hanbury discusses upcoming clinical trials that assess how this wellness device helps with pain, anxiety, and depression. 

[6:00] A difference is seen in the EEG of a long-term meditator compared to those who rarely meditate, which was useful in the development of this device. 

[9:00] People experiencing long time chronic pain or anxiety tend to have a hemispheric imbalance. 

[11:00] Using the theory of brain hemisphere balancing, there have been promising results in the treatment of opioid use disorder and fibromyalgia. 

[13:40] The focus of the company shifted from being a solely sleep based company to neuropathic pain remedies. 

[15:50] New clinical trials are being done for FDA approval of the device with a larger sampling size, which has shown great results thus far. 

[17:30] Users can gain access to the device through monthly subscriptions, making it affordable to a larger amount of people. 

In this special on-location episode recorded in Leuven, Belgium, we sit down with the co-founders and technical leaders of ReVision Implant—Frederik Ceyssens (CEO), Maarten Schelles (CTO), and Laurens Goyvaerts (CSO). The team shares their journey developing a high-density, intracortical visual prosthesis aimed at restoring vision for the blind. From developing reliable insertion technology to achieving long-term biocompatibility in nonhuman primate models, ReVision Implant is at the forefront of neurotech innovation. Tune in to hear about their challenges, breakthroughs, and what's next in the race to cure blindness through brain stimulation.

This episode is sponsored by Black Swan IP – patent strategy and legal support for neurotech innovators. Learn more at www.blackswan-ip.com/

Top 3 Takeaways:

• Future users of ReVision's visual prosthesis express diverse goals—from navigating unfamiliar cities independently to recognizing familiar faces—highlighting the need for customizable solutions with both wide fields of view and high resolution.
• The team is exploring adaptive algorithms that could allow users to toggle between broad, low-resolution views and focused, high-resolution modes—such as reading letters or recognizing faces—offering personalized visual strategies even if only a few thousand stimulation points are achievable.
• Restoring vision is one of the most challenging neurotech applications—far beyond simply upgrading existing DBS systems—but taking that bold leap sets ReVision Implant apart in a space where few dare to innovate at this scale.

1:00 Do you want to introduce yourselves and your company?

6:30 What is the device and how is it different than other companies?

11:15 How many pixels or phosphenes are you expecting to get?

16:00 How much processing will be required to handle that many channels?

17:00 What is the form factor of the device?

18:15 How long is the battery expected to last?

23:30 What kind of acceleration would you expect from investment?

26:00 How does your fabrication process look?

31:30 Sponsorship by blackswan-ip 

32:15 Are you also looking at vision augmentation?

35:00 There's a large graveyard in this visual neuroprosthetics space, why do you think you will survive where others have died?

40:30 Did some of the other companies have technical issues that caused them to die?

45:30 Is there anything that we didn't talk about that you wanted to mention?

Dr. Jessica Robin is a scientist at Winterlight Labs. Winterlight Labs is a speech analytics company based in Ontario, Canada. They use applied healthcare technology to assess Alzheimer's and dementia progression. In this episode, Dr. Jessica Robin discusses how voice samplings can be used to make predictions about diseases. 

Top three takeaways: 

1. Dr. Jessica Robin and her team give patients a picture to look at, and the patient describes what they see, giving them speech data to analyze.
2. Current projects include mining interviews of celebrities for data showing alterations in speech as a prediction to Alzheimer's. 
3. The data collected ranges from unstructured and structured speech to assess the acoustics, pacing, and syntax. 

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Dr. Jessica Robin.  

[2:50] Just one minute of speech can give over 500 variables of speech data to analyze. 

[3:40] This type of technology can be applied to presidential speeches, and studies show that it is useful in observing healthy versus Alzheimer's patients' voices. 

[4:50] While certain conditions of voice samples such as previously prepared speeches do not provide the choice of syntax, acoustic and cadence data can be observed instead. 

[7:00] Dr. Jessica Robin wishes to expand into psychiatric disorders since aspects of a person's mental state are reflected in how they speak.  

Brian Pepin is the CEO and founder of Rune Labs. Since 2018, Rune Labs has managed neuromodulation systems in a way that acquires the most value out of the data available through therapies. Through this process, they hope to improve current models and push the neuromodulation field forward. In this episode, Brian Pepin discusses how Rune Labs is working to improve the ways data is collected and evaluated. 

Top three takeaways: 

1. The two main projects consist of precision medicine, such as decision support, and remote monitoring.
2. The goal is to build better neuromodulation therapies in terms of collecting continuous data rather than just at a clinical visit. 
3. The pandemic has caused a push towards remote data collection for clinical trials. 

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Brian Pepin.  

[1:00] Brian Pepin explains the role that Rune Labs plays in neuromodulation technology. 

[4:00] A new Apple Watch integration allows for the collection of many types of data that can be assessed by researchers using algorithms to yield clinical results. 

[7:10] Patient privacy towards data collected is highly protected and regulated. 

[10:50] The goal of Rune Labs is to properly gather effective data that can be used to build and improve models that push the field forward. 

[12:30] Amid the pandemic, there has been an urgency for continuous remote monitoring in order for clinical trials to proceed.  

[15:30] While some patients prefer the convenience of telemedicine, others strongly prefer face-to-face interaction with clinicians.  

[18:15] The future goal is to have a large-scale simulation of neurological diseases in which different data and therapies could be derived from. 

Arvind Gupta is the founder and venture advisor at IndieBio, a biotech company accelerator based in San Francisco. Through an intense four-month program, IndieBio's team guides a promising technological project into being an accomplished company. They pride themselves on being the home of tomorrow's leading companies. In this episode, Arvind Gupta discusses his strategy in turning ideas into successful companies. 

Top three takeaways: 

1. IndieBio collaborates with incredible technological innovations and strategizes the best way to set up a business that maximizes the impact of the invention and the value created by that invention. 
2. IndieBio plans to build milestone-based businesses that can interface people with machines to get a greater quantification of personal thoughts and feelings. 
3. 83% of the 116 companies IndieBio has funded are still alive today, totaling a worth of $2.3 billion. 

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Arvind Gupta.  

[1:10] IndieBio is a biotech company accelerator, helping companies with business and scientific milestones. 

[4:10] Being based in San Francisco, the pool of investors is smaller but the market size is immense. 

[6:20] Before IndieBio, Gupta invested in Vivid Vision, which used virtual reality to cure lazy eyes and improve vision. 

[10:30] IndieBio is looking for ideas that are noninvasive, cognitive enhancements that provide a benefit to a large market size. 

[13:50] Over the course of four months, mentors, investors, and venture capitalists work in the IndieBio lab to de-risk the chosen companies towards success.

[17:00] 43% of all the companies funded by IndieBio have female cofounders and have better performance because of it. 

[19:30] The accelerated nature of IndieBio allows for intense work to quickly figure out the potential success rate of a project.

Dr. Stavros Zanos is an Assistant Professor at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. In his Translational Neurophysiology lab, they develop methods and techniques to interface with, stimulate and record the vagus nerve to understand how it controls physiological functions, with the end goal of developing therapies for diseases. In this episode, Dr. Stavros Zanos discusses his recent publication regarding anodal blocking in the vagus nerve. 

Top three takeaways:

1. The selectivity capability between afferent and efferent fibers will be used to create better therapies using vagus nerve stimulation. 
2. The vagotomy technique proved to be useful when assessing the characteristics of the fibers as afferent or efferent.  
3. A major challenge of this project was recording the effects of the vagus nerve stimulation due to their complexity. 

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Dr. Stavros Zanos. 

[2:10] Dr. Zanos tells how his experiences led him to the Feinstein Institute. 

[4:10] His focus has been on engineering implants, understanding the physiological effects of bioelectronic therapies, and testing animal models to be able to create chronic implants for testing therapies.

[7:00] The anodal block technique used in their publication is a way of biasing the activation of afferent and efferent fibers to effectively treat different diseases.

[9:30] At the lowest intensity of stimuli, the larger fibers get engaged first; as you increase the intensity, smaller fibers are able to be engaged. 

[13:30] Judging by the physiological changes that occurred during a vagotomy, afferent and efferent fibers are indexed. 

[16:00] Dr. Zanos cautions researchers to always evaluate the translatability of their devices from animals to humans. 

[18:00] Another major focus of the lab is to develop chronic implants in animals, understand how to make them last longer, and then judge how the interface changes over time. 

[20:30] By increasing the intensity of stimulation, there is a greater amount of potentials going in one direction and blockage of the other potentials.

[24:10]  The cycle of innovation when it comes to medical devices ranges between five to 10 years. 

Dr. Patrick Ganzer is a Principal Research Scientist at Battelle. Battelle uses groundbreaking science and technology to solve the world's most pressing issues. Their projects focus on vagus nerve stimulation, haptic feedback technologies, and helping paralyzed patients regain mobility. In this episode, Dr. Patrick Ganzer shares the incredible story of Ian Burkhart and the new developments at Battelle. 

Top three takeaways:

1. The goal was to have the paralyzed patient, Ian Burkhart, have a chip implanted that would become active when he thought of a movement he wanted to complete. 
2. Even with weak natural signals remaining, BCI technologies are able to pick up multiple types of information in a seemingly small area of the brain. 
3. When vague signals of residual touch are perceived, an artificial haptic feedback is activated on the skin so that the patient can have some capacity of conscious touch. 

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Patrick Ganzer. 

[3:10] Dr. Ganzer speaks about his recent publication in Cell regarding a paralyzed patient, Ian Burkhart, that they were able to give mobility to in his hands. 

[5:00] After the injury and with intense practice, there could have been plasticity in Ian's cortex such that touch and movement representations may have started to overlap.

[7:30] There can still be a faint signal recognition in the motor cortex, which hints that even a small amount of fibers can relay reasonable transmission of sensory information.

[9:30] There are weak signals that can be picked up from the somatosensory cortex next to the implant chip with regard to mood, muscle stretch, movement, and touch.

[13:25] A new project focuses on vibrotactile or a vibration intensity feedback in the bicep correlating to varying grip pressures. 

[15:40] Battelle is working on getting the haptic feedback to be incorporated into the sleeve technology in order to be able to miniaturize the system for home use. 

[17:10] Demultiplexing techniques are used to separate touch and movement signals that are occurring at the same time to power different devices. 

[21:30] While at UT Dallas, Dr. Ganzer worked on a therapy that focused on vagus nerve stimulation to help the brain grow new connections and neuro-plasticity during rehab.

[23:20] His work currently focuses on using vagus nerve stimulation to treat ischemia, a cardiovascular disease causing inadequate oxygenation. 

[26:00] A perk of being a PI at Battelle is the opportunity to develop new technologies that get made into devices rather than strictly writing papers.  

Relevant Episodes: Bolu Ajiboye, Ian Burckhart, David Friedenberg 

Kelly Roman is the cofounder and CEO of Fisher Wallace Laboratories. Since 2007, their revolutionary Stimulator device helps all types of patients cope with mental illness through brain stimulation. In this episode, Mr. Roman emphasizes maintaining science as a priority while building a sustainable business. 

Top three takeaways:

1. The biomarker studies completed using the Fisher Wallace Stimulator have shown increases in serotonin and endorphins with a  decrease in cortisol and stress hormone. 
2. The Stimulator has a 70-75% success rate with almost no side effects. 
3. With a low maximum output and safe product placement variability, the Stimulator is a very user-friendly device. 

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Kelly Roman. 

[1:30] Roman discusses the beginnings of how the Fisher Wallace Stimulator came to be.  

[4:15] A Mount Sinai study showed that compared to patients given a placebo device, those using the Fisher Wallace Stimulator saw improvement in their mental illness symptoms. 

[6:30] Alternating current used in the stimulator allows for brainwave entrainment, which leaves the brain in the desired brainwave state even after stimulation has stopped. 

[8:25] Patients are reporting 70-75% success rate when treating at  least one symptom. 

[11:30] The next step for the company is to compile MRI and imagery data using the device.

[14:00]  The Stimulator device is inexpensive due to highly effective commercialization and lack of needed doctor administration. 

[16:25] For safety, there is a low output current that still maintains clinical effects. 

[19:20] Roman explains the process of acquiring the intellectual property for the device and the company's beginnings. 

[21:50]  Due to Roman's digital marketing experience and many prominent drugs becoming generic, sales for Fisher Wallace's  new device went well. 

Sarah Hill, CEO and Dr. Jeff Tarrant, Chief Science Officer, started Healium in 2015. Healium uses the user's wearable device to show purposeful content to help control the state of mind of the user. In this episode, Dr. Jeff Tarrant and Sarah Hill speak about the ways Healium is developing anxiety relief through virtual and augmented reality techniques. 

Top three takeaways:

1. Healium is an app that contains more than 20 virtual reality experiences that are designed to guide users into a specific state of consciousness. 
2. There are studies around the world looking at the effects of using Healium from labor pain, PTSD, and addictions to generalized anxiety and pain. 
3. Compared to a control group, those with moderate anxiety using Healium saw a significant decrease in the activation of their anterior cingulate cortex, which is responsible for feelings of stress and anxiety. 

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guests, Sarah Hill and Dr. Jeff Tarrant. 

[2:30] Sarah Hill discusses her background in journalism and Dr. Jeff Tarrant discusses his background in psychophysiological monitoring. 

[4:20] The Healium app helps achieve a calm state of mind using virtual reality techniques. 

[6:25] There can sometimes be a disconnect between what we say we are feeling versus what our brain waves are showing our state of mind is. 

[8:15] Healium has future plans to add features that can provide physiological measurements that have an effect on the vagus nerve. 

[10:40] In their research studies, a 19 electrode EEG cap is placed on patients and the sLORETA process is used. 

[14:20] Healium is a self-awareness tool that helps to create a mind-body connection that many people have not been trained to have. 

[16:40] The virtual reality experiences range from South American waterfalls to solar systems, providing focus-driven content.  

[19:20] Hill emphasizes the importance of protecting not only our physical hygiene but our mental health hygiene as well. 

Dr. Ryan Todd Discusses How Headversity Provides Resilience Training

Ryan Todd is the cofounder and CEO of Headversity. He completed his MD at the University of Calgary. Since then, he has worked as a psychiatrist and cofounded this company. Headversity focuses on facilitating resilience in the workplace using a personalized app. In this episode, Dr. Todd speaks about the ways Headversity is able to provide resilience in these trying times. 

Top three takeaways:

1. Headversity focuses on resilience training so when faced with adversity, people not only survive but thrive in these situations. 
2. The main skills targeted with resilience training include stress management, mindfulness, and hardiness. 
3. An initial psychometric exam will provide you with a resilience score that guides you to the tools and content that would be most helpful for you. 

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Dr. Ryan Todd. 

[2:00] Todd  explains how Headversity is a training program targeting improving resilience, which is  given to all employees at many large organizations. 

[4:30]  A hardiness mindset consists of realizing the differences in what we can and cannot control, and reflecting upon these differences. 

[6:30]  Resilience is easiest to spot in athletes because we can see how they react under pressure, but these aspects can be applied to our mental fitness as well. 

[8:40]  Headversity users have shown an increase in mindfulness, mental health and heartiness scores of 30% over six months.

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 three takeaways:

1. Aphasia is a speech impairment most commonly caused by a stroke, tumor or infection. People with aphasia are often intellectually intact with no way of communicating, which can cause social problems. 
2. The Voic device merges modern neuromodulation, clinical experience and new technology to improve the quality of life of post-stroke aphasia patients. 
3. The first symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases are smell disorders. Neuro Device's scent project will help by providing early diagnosis of such diseases. 

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Dr. Pawel Soluch. 

[2:20] Soluch discusses his beginnings in neurotech as a PhD student and why he decided to create Neuro Device. 

[5:15] Their team has goals to create an invasive and non-invasive stimulator in relation to neurostimulation to prevent aphasia.  

[8:30] Aphasia can have more negative impacts on the quality of life than symptoms associated with cancer or Alzheimer's.  

[10:15]  The Neuro Device Voic allows therapists to build their own exercise programs on the model, making it adaptable to different languages. 

[12:30]  The devices use applications of oscillating electrical currents to influence cortical excitability and activity.

[15:25]  The global pandemic has caused a pause on the progress of the olfactory device project while the Voic device is developing in hardware and software.  

[18:10]  The company has grown to be a success including 30 people partnering with leaders in science and medical device technology.

[21:35] The scent project in development could be used as an effective tool for the early diagnosis of diseases like Alzheimer's. 

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 functions. 

Top three takeaways:

1. The main advantage of using CMOS-APS technology over conventional microelectrode arrays is that it is possible to manipulate many electrodes within a small area and prevent undersampling. 
2. The label-free, non-invasive methodology of 3Brain allows for data to be collected over extended periods of time, which will benefit studies on neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. 
3. The extent of oversampling can be controlled by finding a balance of compromising resolution and the range in area of neurons being measured. 

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Mauro Gandolfo. 

[2:30] Gandolfo discusses the beginnings of 3Brain and how their products revolutionize electrophysiology using CMOS technology.  

[5:40] Their team has worked to modify the structure of the pixel on the CMOS device to measure changes in voltage of neuron membranes rather than photons.  

[8:10] The 3Brain approach eliminates the need to dye cells and instead emphasizes functional imaging, where cell behavior is observed. 

[10:50] While each electrode can sense 1-3 cells, triangulation can be used to find the source of the information, and as a result, locating the neuron.  

[13:20] As a control for oversampling, compression tools allow users to decide the level of information they want to capture based on their study.  

[15:35]  Stem cell technology and cellular reprogramming technology have revolutionized medicine in the 21st century.  

[17:40] Brain organoids allow scientists to test compounds that can treat neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. 

[19:20] Researchers are working on adding components to the organoids to increase accuracy such as vasculature and diversification of cells.  

[21:20] A new project consists of 3-D technology that can penetrate into the organoids to record data from the inside.  

[24:30] Currently, the goal height of their silicon chip is 100 microns, promoting more proper recordings of brain organoid behavior.  

[26:20] 3Brain's mission is to provide answers to patients with brain diseases, contributing through their technologies. 

In this episode, we speak with Julio Martinez-Clark, CEO and co-founder of Bioaccess, a contract research organization helping Medtech and Biopharma startups slash months off their clinical timelines. With a focus on Latin America, Bioaccess enables early feasibility and first-in-human trials to be conducted faster, more affordably, and with high-quality data suitable for FDA and EU submissions. Julio shares how their global site network—built over 20 years—helps startups navigate regulatory hurdles, reduce costs, and de-risk innovation, all while improving patient lives in emerging markets.

This episode is sponsored by Black Swan IP

Top 3 Takeaways:

•   "The sites and IRBs in Latin America follow international ICH-GCP guidelines—Good Clinical Practice standards set by the World Health Organization. If you're a professional in clinical research, these are the standards you adhere to. As a sponsor, it's your responsibility to ensure that the sites you select, after rounds of interviews and vetting, comply with ICH-GCP. There's also a new development in the region: the Global Clinical Site Certification, an organization based in London that accredits clinical research sites internationally. They're expanding across the Americas, and countries like Colombia and Panama have been especially receptive. For example, we're currently working on certifying CVAC, a site network in Panama."
• For FDA market clearance, sponsors typically need a large, U.S.-based pivotal study. But the FDA may accept up to 30% of that data from international sites—if it follows ICH-GCP standards. First-in-human trials in places like Colombia or Panama can help demonstrate safety and efficacy, supporting an FDA IDE application for a pivotal U.S. study.
• Many FDA-approved therapies never reach Latin America, simply because manufacturers focus on larger markets like the U.S., Europe, or Japan. Clinical trials provide patients in Latin America with early access to innovative treatments they might otherwise never receive.

0:45 Do you want to introduce yourself better than I just did?

1:30 Why is Latin America better for clinical trials

4:15 How does the speed and cost compare to the US?

6:30 What standard of cleanliness, ethics, and quality can we expect in a country like Panama?

8:45 What kind of capabilities are in these countries?

10:15 Axsoft and Paul LeFloch, previous Neural Implant Podcast guests, utilized your services, can you talk more about their study?

14:15 What was the timeline of that study selection all the way to the end of the study?

15:30 What kind of Institutional Review Boards look over the ethics? Are they internationally recognized?

16:15 Sponsorship by Black Swan IP

20:15 Could you also use this for FDA approval?

 22:45 Do you want to talk about the willingness of the patients in Latin America to take part in these trials?

29:45 When should medical device developers reach out to you?

33:30 Is there anything else that we didn't talk about that you wanted to mention?

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:

1. Virtuleap works to translate standardized cognitive tests approved by scientists into VR games that range in complexity, providing high quality 3-D interaction brain training. 
2. There is hope that in the future VR cognitive therapy can benefit people suffering from cognitive disorders such as dementia, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's.
3. The VR games by Virtuleap are created alongside research institutes which use the VR data as a way of measuring cognitive health changes in participants of clinical studies. 

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Amir Bozorgzadeh.

[2:45] Bozorgzadeh discusses the positive outcomes of brain training with VR. 

[5:00] Virtuleap works to translate standardized cognitive tests into VR games in hopes of creating a diverse library for users. 

[7:45] The targeted audience is the growing elderly population, which is predicted to outnumber children within the next ten years for the first time in United States history.  

[9:00] Virtuleap can help users to improve their quality of life and cognitive health. 

[11:20] Bozorgzadeh expresses the importance of having technical and non-technical members in any startup. 

[12:00] In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an increased demand for STEM oriented startups. 

[13:30] While a research-validated startup can be challenging, it is rewarding to be able to create a company that provides such great benefits to society. 

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:

1. 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.
2. When doing a scientific podcast, it is critical to think about your audience. It can be very helpful to try to reach those outside your field, especially in science, as there is a need for this communication.
3. When picking a topic for your podcast, pick something that you are passionate about, and something that you can talk about easily.

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Ginger Campbell

[3:30] Campbell explains why she chose neuroscience as the topic for her podcast

[6:45] The subject that Campbell is most interested in right now is the intrinsic activity of the brain

[10:15] One author suggests that we should do away with the idea of the mind, and focus more on how the brain as an organ interacts with the world around it

[12:45] To make a scientific podcast, one must realize that there is a tremendous workload involved. Creating accurate scientific content for a podcast is much different than making a podcast talking about your favorite TV show or sports team.

[16:30] Authors enjoy coming onto the podcast for the publicity, as obtaining publicity can be very difficult, and being a guest on a popular podcast can be very beneficial

[19:00] When doing a science podcast, you need to deeply think about the audience you are trying to reach. Communicating with those outside your field about what your field does is very beneficial in building a good audience, as there is a need for this type of communication.

[22:15] Be careful of goofing off at the beginning of shows and going off on irrelevant tangents early in the episode, or it may prompt some audience members to stop listening

[26:00] Campbell started the podcast because she has an interest and a knack for explaining science, the same way she explains medicine to her patients

[29:30] Due to the current economic crisis happening, podcasters depending on advertising will likely suffer within the near future

[31:00] For those wanting to do a podcast, it is important to pick a subject that you are passionate about. Talk about what you know and what interests you.

[34:30] It is easier to make a podcast about neuroscience than about quantum mechanics, because everyone has a brain, whereas quantum mechanics do not affect people's lives

[37:00] Listener feedback is what will really keep you going when it gets tough

[39:00] Ladan gives further thoughts on the discussion and discusses the services of Neural Implant Media

TRANSCRIPT (Auto-generated):

Welcome to the neural implant podcast where we talk with the people behind the current events and breakthroughs in brain implants and understandable way, helping bring together various fields involved in Euro prosthetics. Here is your host, Latin Yara. Check. Hello everyone, and welcome to the neural implant podcast.

Today we have a special guest. It's ginger Campbell of the brain science. Podcast, and I'm really happy to have her on the show. She is an O, G original gangster of the neuroscience podcasting space. She's been doing this since 2006 and the really one of the pioneers of podcasting, she says podcasting started in 2004 so she's not completely.

The first person to do this, but that was like 1415 years ago, so you know, we can call it pretty much like that. So really interesting stuff. She's had over 10 million downloads on her show and really an honor to talk to. One of the people that started out Pluralsight is podcasting

ginger Campbell. Pleasure to have you on the show. You are the host of the brain science podcast, which is a huge neuroscience podcast, and I'm really excited to have you on. We've actually been talking about this for awhile and do you want to introduce the podcast a little bit? Yeah, thanks. First I want to mention that the name of the podcast is.

Brain science podcast is not part of the name anymore. Just in case you happen to be searching in your podcasting app. I think I took the name, I think I took podcasts I will name about five years ago. Actually, I don't remember exactly when I did it. I decided that putting podcasts in your title had become sort of redundant.

Back when I started in 2006 it was really common for podcasts to be part of the title, but you know, now it's not so much. So anyway, just plain old brain science, neuroscience for everyone. Now you're making me rethink the name of my podcast. And so basically the idea of the show is to explore how recent discoveries in neuroscience are helping unravel the mystery of how our brains make us human.

And my tagline is. The show for everyone who has a brain, because I want to communicate. The show doesn't require a scientific background. However, the listeners are very diverse, ranging from people who haven't gone to college. I've got a house painter and a plumber, and then actual neuroscientists, so that makes for a challenge when I'm creating my show.

Interesting. And you said you started back way back in 2006 I think that's pretty much when a podcasting started. How was that? Well, podcasting officially started in 2004 and then it appeared in iTunes in the summer of 2005 which is when many of us early people became aware of it because before that you had to be able to.

Code your own RSS feed and stuff like that. So I wasn't that much of a pioneer. And then it took me about a year to figure out what I wanted to make my show about. So, so I think I started about two years in which now that I'm on my 14th year, I guess, represents almost a pioneer. Yeah. I think for those looking back nowadays, they would, they would see very much as to see very little of a distinction.

It's like, Oh, when did you, you know, when did you come to America? 1492 or 1512 or something. Like I said that at some point it's kind of like, ah, it's kind of, you know, splitting hairs, but so why did you choose neuroscience. Well because it just happened to be what I was reading at the time that I decided to start a show.

I didn't want to show about my job, which I'm a physician, so I wanted to show that was about what I was just interested in, and at the time, neuroscience hadn't been quite become quite so popular, but I would be listening to people say things that weren't quite right because mainstream media. Coverage of science and neuroscience is, you know, pretty bad, and I wanted to share the things I was reading.

I figured lots of people weren't going to read the books. I wanted to share the stuff I was learning with others. That was really my motivation and I wanted to make a show that was accurate, that told people what the science really shows. That was my, that was my driver. So you're working as a physician, but not necessarily in the field of neuroscience.

It was just kind of an interest of yours then, right? Yeah. I actually came through it through philosophy of mind. I was reading Western philosophy for the first time in my life. I had been through Eastern philosophy, which is actually very mind oriented, but not exactly science oriented. And then I decided to explore Western philosophy.

I discovered there's this whole subset of philosophy called philosophy of mind, and that's when I discovered that neuroscience had come a long way since I had last. Got it. Which was like right before I started medical school in 1980 that was in the days of huge glass electrodes and, and so I got really fascinated with neuroscience because like I said, it, it, it's, it helps us understand who we are.

Yeah, definitely. And I mean, but that's still pretty interesting. I mean, there was a, to keep something up for 15 years or to, to maintain, you know, as somewhat expensive habits and a very, very time consuming habit of podcasting, you know, really is, is more than just a passing interest. I would have to argue that there was something bigger driving you, like how you were thinking, why you were thinking and the science.

So maybe what were your favorites. Episodes or favorite subjects like this philosophy of mine. Specific topics, I guess. Yeah. Yeah. Early on, I was really interested in the question of consciousness. That would be a major theme that still carries through on the show. My favorite early episode was one about exercise and the brain.

With John Rady, unfortunately, as a horrible sound quality, but, but that was my favorite early episode because that was something people could use. He explained why exercising is good for your brain, and since the people who tend to listen to my show oftentimes care about their brain health, that one was one that had a personal impact for people.

So it stands out out for me. Really? Yeah, definitely. Yeah. And then of course, learning about brain plasticity. That was something that was new at the beginning of the show. Now it's kind of old hat everybody knows about brain plasticity, but the subject that really, the subject that I'm really fascinated by right now actually has to do with the intrinsic activity of the brain.

And this actually might be relevant to your listeners who are interested in neural implants, because I've been reading a couple of books about the idea of the intrinsic activity of the brain. One is called the brain from the inside out by URI Misaki, which is, he's the guy who's very well known as a pioneer in brain rhythms.

And I have another one. I can't think of the name of it right the second, I think it's called the spontaneous brain, but they're both on the same idea that we need to start looking at the brain from the inside out. It's intrinsic activity is really a key feature, and the reason why I think this might be relevant to people interested in neural implants is that I think it may explain how something like say the cochlear implant.

Is why it's so successful. I don't know if you're aware of this, but when the cochlear implant was first invented, people didn't really think it would work because the amount of information in the signal is very poor relative to normal hearing. And what they found was that people learned to make sense out of what they were hearing from the cochlear implant.

You start out making sense, but eventually their brain just kind of decoded it. And so. Bruce hockey's idea is that the brain is going along, making signals, making it, throwing signals out, throwing signals out. And then when we're lippy as a part of life, we associate through the timing of brain rhythms. A spontaneous signal was something else in the world, and we make a match.

So if that's really true, then that means our brain can be more flexible for, you know, learning, you know, new ways to interact with the world. For example, a brain machine interface. You know, we could learn to, to generate a different brain pattern, to do a thing, say with the computer. And that seems to be what people are actually experiencing, right?

When they're trying to create these interfaces. Are you familiar with what I'm talking about? Yeah. Yeah, I know. I know. Boost hockey has a boost hockey, uh, array the Tetro and everything like this, and, and some of my colleagues have worked with them, but yeah, it's, it's definitely, you know, the amount of plasticity that's in the brain.

And you, you might remember this actually, you might've been around like when this was, people were saying like, Oh, there's no, you know, change in the brain. There's no neurons being created after, after childhood. Right. And essentially that everything's kind of set in stone, but you know, that that basically negates all of learning.

And, you know, people like kind of, kind of like with the cochlear implant, like, you know, people can learn crazy, crazy stuff like Morse code. I mean, people learn beeps and boops, you know, and, and translate that into, you know, speech almost. And, and like, I think I heard, I was hearing about like, people that are really good at Morse code, like they almost here.

Writing or speech in that, you know? So yeah, it's crazy stuff. All this, all this about plasticity and how dynamic the brain actually is. And this other guy that I'm reading, and I'm, I can't pronounce his name, so I'm love to say it, but the name of his book is the spontaneous brain. He actually argues that maybe we should even do away with the idea of the mind and just talk about the world brain problem.

That is, how does the brain. Interact with the world. And in, in his book, he, he talks about the empirical evidence. It's very similar to be sockies because they both talk about the evidence that faster rhythms are nested into slower rhythms. And also the fact that when you look at the brain's response to an external signal, it's.

Influenced by whatever the brain is already doing. They're not additive. There's an interaction. So I think that idea, the idea of just doing away with the idea of the mind, he calls it a Copernican revolution because he's saying instead of having this, you know, like sort of mind centered view of the world, which gives us this, this, you know, mind body problem, which we can't seem to solve that.

If we just shift our viewpoint from. To the interaction between the brain and the world. We can just do away with the whole mind body problem. It's just kind of an interesting thought. Yeah, definitely. I think, I think there definitely is a fallacy that lies there. But I want to talk about the podcast. So, you know, you have written here that you've passed 10 million downloads and are very influential.

You've been ranked number one on iTunes and Libsyn, which is a big, you know, podcast, hosting a site. They're also have you as one of the proud, you know, like, Hey, look, who goes with us? You know, look who we have, you know, is one of our customers. But what has been your experience with hosting? One of the biggest.

Well, unfortunately, science podcasts are not, you know, the most popular in terms of big numbers. I mean, my numbers are very good for science, but because of the way advertising works, you need really big numbers to, to make money. To give you an example, I don't know if you've heard of the person who does grammar girl.

She's. Made a business out of her podcast, a Minoan Fogarty. She actually started as a science podcast and back in 2007 she told me she gave up science podcasting cause it was too much work. And, and that really is a reality. I mean, if you're going to, I know you would like to encourage more people to do science podcasts and so would I.

But I think that it is important to be realistic about the work. Load involved. You know, if you make a fan cast about your favorite TV show and you just get together with your buddies and talk about it, you know, every week it's not, I mean, it's time consuming, but it's not the same kind of work as trying to create accurate science content.

I think it's a level of challenge that the people that the average podcast or doesn't appreciate. That's funny that there's more money in grammar than there is in science. Yeah. Well, everybody needs grammar, and a lot of people don't think they need science. Yeah. No, it's very helpful actually. So what has been some of your, I don't know, responses or what?

What kind of feedback have you gotten over? Geez, almost a decade and a half that you've been doing this, huh? Well, the two most surprising things. One is feedback from students. I never. Expected the feedback from students. I thought of my show as being a show that would be sort of the NPR adult kind of person who, who was curious about about neuroscience, but I have students of all ages, and I actually have one listener.

Who is now in his first year of residency, who's been listening to the show as a psychiatry resident who's been listening to the shows for eight years since he was in high school. So that's pretty amazing. And I've had people write to me and say, I'm going to go into neuroscience because of listening to the show, so that.

That was a total surprise. I did not expect that. And the other surprising thing is when people with with neurological or mental health challenges write to me and tell me that. That might show helps them to cope with their challenges. I had a listener once who said he was listening to the show with his father who was dying from Alzheimer's, and I recently actually had a patient, sorry, excuse me, habit, a listener, right?

Saying that he had recently been diagnosed with early onset dementia, and he was still listening to the show that he felt that was helpful to him. So. It's as a physician, I have to say that the most amazing thing is realizing the show has impacted so many people, so many more people than I'll ever reach as a physician.

Yeah, that's pretty amazing stuff. I mean, and that's something I, I, you know, talk about on my show as well. Like, you know, a good scientific paper might get, you know, a hundred views and like five citations or something like this. And that's, you know, you can be proud of that. But with our shows, you can get hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of downloads and that reach, although maybe not as deep and, and like, you know, in the specific subset it breaches, it goes much further.

And I think that really. Gives your research and your message much more value as well. Yeah. I don't have any trouble getting guests. Uh, even though I do focus on scientists who write books, I occasionally interview people who are involved in basic science, especially people that are, uh, extremely good at communicating like Seth grant, for example.

But the reason that I focus on books is that it gives my listeners a place to go if they want to learn more. The average person doesn't have access to the literature. You know, they don't have access to an academic library. All these, lots of these papers are still behind paywalls. But by talking to somebody who's taken the time to put a bunch of research together in a book, if a person you know, wants to go to the next level, their first choice is just go and read the book and people actually do that.

So authors are very happy to come on my show cause they, most of them really do understand that. Yeah. They, they want as much, you know, public publicity as I can get. Cause it really can be hard to sometimes break above the noise. And yeah. I mean there is something special about like having somebody who's worked in the field and you know, potentially.

Simplify things and, and, you know, get it from behind the paywall because that's actually, that's the reason I started this show as well, was, you know, trying to get to the research. I was outside of the paywall at the time, but I wanted to learn what everybody was doing and who the big people in the field were.

So, uh, I figured I might as well help other people with this as well. So, yeah. That, that's really interesting. You, you're very much into books. You have a different, you have another podcast about books actually as well, right? Yeah, so it's called, it's called books and ideas. It has a pretty small audience because it's not niche enough.

You know, in podcasting, it seems to be an advantage to be, to have a niche. And even though books and ideas clearly describes what the show really is, it, it's not quite, I mean, it's really the place I put everything that doesn't fit. So I might talk to a science fiction writer, or I might talk to a scientist.

I might talk to, I, I've interviewed. Astronomers physicists, a woman who's written video game novels. So I mean, it's very, very, very diverse, which I enjoy, but makes finding its audience difficult. So it's truly my passion project. Yeah, for sure. That's a, that's interesting. So what do you think, I mean, do you think, uh, the world would be better if there was more podcasts if more people were doing this kind of stuff, or would it be crowded or what's, what's your kind of opinion on science communication?

We definitely need more good science podcasts. I mean, many years ago, I actually tried to start a website. It was called, this was back in 2008 I started a website called science pod-casters dot org and I tried to recruit Joe's to come and basically share their. Show notes all in one place so people may be, would find them.

And I closed it down in 2010 because the national science foundation started their site, which I think is called. Science three 60 I'm not sure. Anyway, it's a very good clearinghouse for good science podcasts, and there was a way I could compete with that, but I do think that if you're going to do a science podcast, you really do need to think about what is the audience you actually want to reach.

If you want your show to be, you know, the inside baseball, you know, really highly technical. Fine, but realize your chances of getting an audience is going to be, you know. You could, it's okay to have a small audience, but you need to know that that's what's going to happen if you want. If your passion is you want people outside your field to understand what your field is about, I think that's really, really valuable, especially these days because science journalism, you know, the newspapers aren't paying for science journalists, the television networks.

Obviously aren't paying for good science journalists, so there's a huge need for somebody to go out there and communicate to people what science is really about. To give you an example of another great Lipson podcast that I'm promoting right now, for obvious reasons, is this weekend virology. I mean, if you want to hear a great show, that's really the science of coronavirus.

This week in virology, which is a Lipson show and Vincent ranch and Ella used to be a part of my science podcast or.org organization. This week in virology launched in 2008 so it's not a, you know, Hey, let's jump on the bandwagon. You know, I had to get that in there cause I really think this is an important show for people to listen to.

I just think that, I think it's really valuable. We need, I'd like to see some good physics shows that, you know, tried to explain things to regular people like me. You know, I guess maybe Sean Carroll does a little on his, but he, his show is, I don't think it's. It's really focused on physics, even though he's a physicist.

Yeah, but if you're going to do it, I would the run recommendation if I had anything to do different, I don't know if you're planning to ask me that question. If I was going to do something different, I would want to have a cohost. I mean, you know someone to carry the load so that you know it's not all on you.

If you can find a cohost, you'll probably have a better chance of, of lasting and not pod fading. And plus listeners enjoy, you know, hearing the relationship between the cohost. And that's something that, that, that I, I've never had the opportunity to do. Yeah, definitely. I agree. Like I've, I've had, I've also co-hosted some, some other podcasts, you know, with some colleagues, and that does get go much better because you get a different perspective.

I mean, obviously, you know, the questions that you ask, you know your way of thinking, but then the cohost might ask a question and that's just like, Oh wow. That is actually very interesting. I'm very curious what the answer is. I think that's a very good piece of advice. But beware of the excess chitter chatter.

I can't tell you how many podcasts I have turned off at the beginning because everybody's talking about. You know, it doesn't matter what TV show they watched or whatever. Most of us can't pull that off. I mean, if you're like a celebrity, maybe somebody wants to know what you did last night, but otherwise they probably don't and they're probably going to turn off your show before you even get to your interview.

If you make it a habit. Of doing too much goofing around at the beginning. And that's, that's just my opinion. But I've heard other podcast listeners say the same thing when talking about what shows they turn off. Most of us aren't as funny as we think we are and know, get to the point. For sure. I completely agree.

It has to be substantive. So, okay, so what's, what's your plans with the future of brain science and what kind of goals are you hoping to accomplish with it? Well, you know, this year it's hard to know what's going to happen. I was really hoping to take the show to another level this year. I actually experimented with going back to twice a month, which I, um, did the first two years of the show.

But I've decided to go back to once a month, which has worked well for over 10 years. I'm trying, I was planning to release the second edition of my book. Are you sure? The unconscious. Origins of certainty next week, but that's been held up just in the layout. Um, stage, just because of uncertainties with, with the pen dynamic, and I'm not sure how people are going to get books.

Amazon's society books are very low priority. If you order a book right now from Amazon, it'll come whenever. So it's probably not a re the best possible time to be releasing a book. And I really want to write that book. Are you sure is really just based on several older episodes of the show. And what I really want to do is to write a truly original book because I mean, I got almost 15 years worth of material.

I got lots of material. I want to write an original book, mainly because let's face it, there's still a lot of people who don't listen to podcasts. And. The reality is books are still, you know, the gold standard. So I want to write a really good, but it's called, it's going to be called why neuroscience matters, because really my, my whole premise is that understanding how neuroscience works should be a basic scientific literacy skill for the 21st century.

For example, if you understand what cognitive dissonance is. Politics make a lot more sense, but at any rate, so that's really my focus for this year is to get those books out. And then I w I hope they will help grow the show, but the main thing is to reach new people. Okay. Yeah. Just kind of educate the world on, on everything that's going on, how we think, why we think, I think that's a really good idea.

But I would, I would argue that, you know, books are, you know, obviously they reach different type of peer person than, than podcasting. And maybe more, maybe less, I don't know. But I would say that even better. Methods of teaching. And a big part of that is actually video is, you know, lot more people. For example, watch YouTube, then read books.

Yeah. And I'm not going to argue with that. I don't see myself as a video person. If somebody came to me and said, Hey, do you want to be part of a video project? I'd say, cool, but I'm not, you know, I'm not gonna. Take that on as a solo project. Audio podcasting is enough of a challenge as a solo project. I appreciate the fact that that a lot of people still, you know, now learn by video.

I happened to be a person who learns by reading and believe that there are still those of us out there. We learn by reading and I'm willing to accept the fact that. Someone else may be reaching those video people. Yeah. And if somebody wants to come to me and say, Hey, here's your great book. How can we put parts of it into a video?

You know, I'll be, I'll be up for that too, but I know what my strength is. Yeah. I mean, I got into podcasting because I realized almost immediately that it was just something that, that, um, really excited me and I felt like I was good at it. Explaining science is a lot more like my day job in which I explained medicine to my patients.

So it kind of, you know, trying to translate things into English is something that sort of comes naturally, or at least I've been doing it so long. It feels natural. Yeah, definitely. Kind of, I mean, essentially you're translating from Latin into English. Well, it's not quite that bad, but close enough. Yeah. I did want to talk about one other thing that was related to the book, and that was, I had.

I've had half a listener who's been just sort of hounding me about making an audio version of, are you sure? Which I'm not planning to do, partly because of expense and partly because of the content is already available mostly in audio. Format, but when I do my big book project, I definitely do consider making an audio version of it to be essential for the exact reason that you just mentioned that the format of audio is so good for reaching people.

And the thing I love about audio versus video is that a person can be. They can be driving their car. They have been going for a walk. They can be cleaning their house. They can, I don't know how you would mow the lawn because I don't think you'd be able to hear it, but you can do a lot of stuff while you're listening to audio as opposed to, you know, video, which if you're actually really paying attention, you know, you kind of have to.

Look at it. So that's why I'm comfortable with not doing video, although I appreciate the fact that, that it's, it's a very powerful tool. I mean, I'm the person who, when I go to the website, I don't watch the videos. I say I look for the, where did they put the written instructions? In fact, I have a coach who has all these videos and she's learned that she's just going to send me the PDFs because I don't want to watch the video.

So it may be a generational thing, but. You know, I'm a baby boomer. There's plenty of people in my boom's still left. Yeah, for sure. Yeah, I mean, I think also like audio is kind of the sweet spot where it's easily accessible and you also, like you said, you can do it while doing other things, driving, transporting, you know, basically all the stuff that I've stopped doing.

So actually I've had my podcast kind of pile up because I've stopped commuting to work and I stopped, you know, doing all this stuff that where I, where I used to listen to podcasts. It's been a, it's been pretty bad. I'm going to have quite a backlog once I get back to everything. Right. And that's, you know, that's why it's hard to know what's going to happen.

Rob Walch from, from Lipson, he, he's been talking on the feed about how the last slump in, in podcast advertising happened in 2008 with the, with the financial crisis in 2008 and I remember that because I had one. Really great advertising campaign with the Navy, and then the rates just went through the bottom.

I mean, they just, they went way down. So people, podcasts, which you rely on, on advertising, are really going to be, you know, hurting in the next, you know, foreseeable future. And then the people who are making their living off of production, you know, audio editing and things like that are probably also gonna, you know, struggle a little for me.

My show's established and I can survive on a plateau for a while, but if I was somebody just starting out, I'm not saying you shouldn't start now. But this might be a good time to be in the planning phases, right. And, and really get everything aligned up. Maybe if, I think if I was starting a new show at this point, what I might consider doing is getting a large number of interviews in the can, right.

And then launching in the fall, maybe when people are hopefully going to be back on a more regular schedule and then you won't have that time pressure of trying to put out a show every week. So we can make the best of it. Yeah, definitely. Don't have this be dead time. Have it be useful, actually. Yeah. So what is, what are some, what is some advice that you have for people in the neuroscience field?

Neurotechnology in general, like through your experience in the field and, and having talked to so many people. Well, I always, I always ask my guests to give advice to students because I have so many student listeners, and one of the things that, that many of my guests say, which I think applies to us whether or not we're students or not, is to choose something that, that you're really passionate about.

In other words, if you were going to do a podcast. Unless you are intentionally planning a very short run series that's gonna like say go 12 episodes in and, but if you want to do it for a prolonged period of time, you've got to pick something that you're really passionate about. I picked neuroscience because I felt like I wasn't going to run out of material, which has certainly proven to be true every time.

I think that I've kind of gotten. You know, into a stuck point. I turn around and I've got a bunch of new books in my mailbox and I'm like, and I get enthused again. So if the subject doesn't light you up, you're not going to last. I think the, the old writing advice, you know, to re, you know, which is write what you know, probably applies to podcasting too.

Yeah, definitely. I would completely agree. I mean, you know, even even in the field of, even in the sub field of neural implants, you know, especially the guests that I have a little bit more familiarity with, it's much easier for me versus something like, you know, computational stuff or you know, programming or whatever, and they're just like, Oh shoot, this is a bit outside of what I know and what I can intelligently speak about.

But also, I guess not. What I'm interested in. I am interested in it, but maybe not to the extent to the other stuff. So I completely agree, and I think you've shown this very well. It's, it's not a sprint, it's a marathon, you know? And then when you're, when you're planning your interviews, I think they're, the most obvious rule is read ahead of time.

You know, you know, if you listen to interviews in the mainstream media, you can lots of times tell that they haven't read anything by the person that they're interviewing, right? So even if you're interviewing somebody who's only who's written a paper or whatever, you want to have read their work. And then when you're thinking about your interview, I recommend making your questions.

Ask yourself, well, what is the one thing about this person's work that I want my listeners to understand? And then gear all your questions to that. And most scientists don't mind if you say to them, can you back up for a minute and explain what you meant by XYZ? If you're making a show for nonspecialists, they don't have to understand everything, but they need to be able to understand the big picture and they don't like being talked down to.

I mean, the show I do basically goes against all the, all the dogma about how to do science. Broadcasting. You know, if you look at mainstream media, everything is so watered down. There's this assumption that people won't understand it or that you need a bunch of special effects, which of course obviously don't have and neither one.

I think neither one of those things are true, but you do have to be able to make it clear. Why should I, the guy off the street care about this? I mean, you're doing a show about neural implants. I think probably, you know that. That's not as hard as it might be for some other show. I always like to joke that it's a lot easier to make a podcast about neuroscience because everybody does have a brain, and neuroscience really does affect us as individuals, whereas like most of us are not affected by quantum mechanics, so it doesn't matter whether we understand it or not.

Yeah, I mean, I know we are affected by quantum mechanics on some level, but you know what I mean? We're not making day to day decisions based on her understanding of quantum mechanics. Yeah, exactly. Kind of make it relevant. Bring it, bring it all home. Right. And I'm not mean telling them what to think. I am also a big believer in trusting that the science can speak for itself.

You know, decide what the key idea is. Help your guest to share that key idea. And then you have to trust your listeners. Yeah, for sure. This is really interesting stuff. I love it. Um, you know, especially coming from, you know, like I said, one of the biggest science podcasters, you know, of our time and, and somebody who's been doing it all, I'll say pretty much from the beginning.

Yeah. There's a couple of science podcasts out there. They've been around longer than mine, but not many. Yeah, I mean, I, I, I'd have a hard time believing it honestly. Like, unless it was like radio program before, I was just like, Oh, we might as well do podcasting in addition to this, like science Friday.

That's kinda what I'm thinking. Right. I don't care that I don't count those because those are repurposed radio shows. So you're right. One of the oldest ones is probably a repurposed radio show, but there is a show called the astronomy cast, which is Pam Hamlin. Gay's done over 300 episodes of that show.

I think she launched in three 2005 while she's in the podcasting hall of fame, the only science podcast in the podcasting hall of fame, like actual hall of fame. Well, it's called the Academy of podcasters, and now it's been bought out, so it's probably going to become the Hollywood podcasting hall of fame, but the people that are currently in it are true pioneers.

Just Google Academy of podcasters hall of fame. She got a star on the Hollywood walk of fame.

No. But yeah. Yeah, it's, it's, it's a lot of work creating a science podcast, but I think it's, it's, it's a great way to share pot. I think it's a great way to share science. It just, it's just a lot of work. You have to, the thing that will keep you going if you decide to do it, and I don't know if this is your experience, but for me, it's listener feedback.

Every time I think I'm going to quit. I get an email from somebody who said, tells me, you know how it's made a difference to them. And, and that, that keeps me going. Yeah, definitely. Like the, the feedback is, is great. And the really, it's amazing kind of the connections that you create for others and then you create for yourself as well.

But another thing for me too is because I can go to conferences and I have gone to conferences kind of helping out on the meta side of things with some things, I, I'm basically in the room of, you know, a few hundred people that, you know. Portion of them who know who I am and listen to the show and everything like that.

So that's kind of an amazing thing because I have a, I have a travel podcast as well actually, and it's, it's bigger than the Nerland pop podcast, but you know, it's just diffuse, like it's all over the world. So I would never in the wild run into one of my listeners, but at one of the conferences, it really, it does happen and people are, you know, people like it, you know?

And so that, that also kind of motivates me a little bit further, cause it's just like, it's not just numbers on a screen, it's actual. People and it's actual, you know, it's, it's has real life consequences I guess. So, Dr. Campbell, this has been excellent. Thank you so much for coming on. Is there anything that we didn't talk about that you wanted to mention?

Yeah. And, and I have a free newsletter on my website, so if somebody says, well, I'd like to know when that book is really happening. Who's got a brain science podcast.com and sign up for the newsletter. You get. Show notes automatically and know when the book is finally a reality. Excellent. I'm looking forward to it and especially looking forward to the audience

guys. Hopefully you enjoyed that. Yeah, it was interesting. Afterwards we talked about, you know, how hard it is to make money podcasting and how little it is, and you know, she's like, Oh, you can put some of your episodes behind a pay wall, or, you know, do a Patrion and have people donate to you. But with how niche this show is, I don't think I'd be making too much.

And I don't think, I don't want to do that to you guys. Like, and only earn 20 bucks a month, you know, sell out my soul for 20 bucks a month, or you know, 30 or whatever. I might end up earning from that. But I do this for the love of the topic and the. The people that are in it and just reaching out and everything like this.

I think it's really good, but I mean, please do remember that I do offer other services, and so if you're interested in either advertising on a podcast or making your own podcast, or filming a promotional video for example, or a conference, or you know, a panel or whatever, I'm doing three D animations, then I'm available for this as well.

The email is. Latin@neuralimplant.media and so yeah, I can do all your media needs. Even things like making some figures in, in some journal articles. I've seen some really, really ugly figures, really ugly photos, and I can make that a little bit better. Just that much better. To, to make it more attractive.

And you know, it's a small thing, but it's a is, it's a very real thing. And I've seen people close and I've seen people just stop reading. If they saw like an especially hideous graphic, then yeah, let me know. Let me know and I'll see if I can help you out. Hope you enjoyed the show and were able to learn something new, bringing together different fields in novel ways.

Until next time on the neural implant podcast.

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 neurotech company should follow in the face of limited funding and capital.

Top three takeaways:

1. During the Great Recession, when Neuros Medical was starting out, the economic world was very uncertain from day to day, and you never really knew which neurotech companies would be able to maintain enough funding to survive.
2. Neuros Medical fared so well because it was very focused and determined, but above all, very capital efficient. It didn't rely on hundreds of millions of dollars, and could do a lot with a little.
3. When running a neurotech company during a difficult time like this, it is important to ask yourself why you're doing this, remember that your products will eventually help patients, and remember that tough times don't last, but tough people do.

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode

[3:20] Ladan introduces and discusses Neural Implant Media

[6:00] Jen French discusses how various companies fared throughout the Great Recession, and how some companies did better than others

[10:00] Jon Snyder introduces himself and discusses the nerve block created by Neuros Medical

[12:45] The bulk of testing for the nerve block happens in the US because the US is where Neuros Medical received the necessary Investigational Device Exemption for the pilot studies

[16:30] The company was incorporated in 2008, in the heart of the Great Recession

[20:00] During the Great Recession, the economic world was changing every day, to the point where you didn't know from day to day whether a neurotech company was going to be able to raise any more necessary capital

[24:00] Snyder discusses how those in academia can get a better understanding of the funding landscape and better interact with funders

[27:45] Snyder's mindset is to be very capital efficient, which worked out very well when the company first started

[31:15] Snyder discusses liquidity as the company raises capital and how this will change going forward

[33:15] People losing their jobs nowadays increases the pool of talented candidates for the company, which is an optimistic way of looking at things

[35:45] The company was successful because it was very focused and capital efficient, which may have been how other companies were successful during the Great Recession

[40:30] It is important to be able to know whether your company would fare better as more management heavy or more tech-heavy

[43:45] As a neurotech company, what you're working on will eventually help patients, which is something very important to think about when you think about why you're doing what you're doing

[46:20] Tough times don't last, but tough people do. It's what's inside of us that can help us get through this setback.

[48:00] Neurotech Entrepreneur Working Network is a great network for entrepreneurs to share ideas and advice for the success of new neurotech ventures

[52:40] Ladan briefly discusses the Neurotech Entrepreneur Working Network again