“Minds et Machina: Speaking to the Brain through Ingestible Electronic Interfaces”
Friday, Aug. 9 at 2:00pm
MALA 5050
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Abstract
Neuromodulation can be an effective approach to treat diseases. However, the brain and nervous system are extremely heterogeneous, where cell types and functions vary sub-millimeter scales. This heterogeneity presents a major obstacle for targeted modulation and interrogation of specific neural structures. Bidirectional gut-brain pathways can be used to target neural circuits with high special selectivity. We report the development of ingestible electronic platforms for neural/hormonal modulation through gastric electrical stimulation. This talk will describe how such ingestible electroceuticals can modulate neurohormonal circuits and describe how similar platforms could be used for non-invasive interfacing with other neural circuits within the gastrointestinal tract.
Biography
Dr. Khalil Ramadi is an assistant professor of bioengineering and director of the Laboratory for Advanced Neuroengineering and Translational Medicine (LANTRN) at New York University (NYU) Abu Dhabi. His work focuses on developing new tools and technologies for treatment a variety of neurologic, endocrine, and immune disorders. Dr. Ramadi has been named a TED junior fellow, CIFAR Global Scholar, and MIT Technology Review Innovator Under 35 (MENA), and received multiple honors including the NIH F32 Ruth Kirschstein Postdoctoral Fellowship, BMES Career Development Award, and a NASA Aeronautics Scholarship. He holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering and Medical Physics from MIT, a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT, and B.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering from the Pennsylvania State University. He is also a board member and former co-Director of MIT Hacking Medicine, a group dedicated to enabling multi-disciplinary health entrepreneurship worldwide.