Neurotech Pub

Paradromics Inc

Paradromics Founder and CEO Matt Angle hosts an informal salon with some of the most influential figures in neurotechnology.

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Top 10 Neurotech Pub Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Neurotech Pub episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Neurotech Pub for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Neurotech Pub episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

We're in Heated Agreement Over Here | Connectomics Part I

Neurotech Pub

03/14/23 • 49 min

Welcome back to Neurotech Pub!

In this first installment of two episodes on Connectomics, host and Paradromics CEO Matt Angle kicks off a lively discussion on the rapidly accelerating research in the mapping, preservation, and reconstruction of the human connectome. We explore the ethical and legal ramifications of disruptive technology, and some of the unique challenges faced when driving innovation in emerging industries.

Our guests are:

Nita Faraheny, JD, PhD, Everett Distinguished Professor of Law & Philosophy at Duke Law School, the Founding Director of Duke Science & Society, the Faculty Chair of the Duke MA in Bioethics & Science Policy, and principal investigator of SLAP Lab.
Kenneth Hayworth, PhD, President and Co-Founder of the Brain Preservation Foundation, Senior Scientist at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Farm Research Campus (JFRC)
Robert McIntyre, CEO at Nectome

As an exciting new development since the recording of this episode, Nita recently published a book, The Battle for Your Brain, which examines many topics in neuroethics, from Connectomics to Brain-Computer Interfaces. It is currently available on Amazon.

Keep an eye out for part two in this series, which will take a deep dive into the latest technical and engineering innovations in the connectomics ecosystem. Coming soon!

Please be advised that this episode contains a brief discussion of assisted suicide in a medical setting.

Show Notes:

0:00 | Episode Intro

1:16 | Nita A. Farahany, JD, PhD

1:21 | Kenneth Hayworth, PhD

1:27 | Robert McKintyre, CEO, Nectome

1:56 | Meeting of the minds

2:53 | Aldehyde-stabilized cryopreservation wins final phase of brain preservation prize

3:56 | The Brain Preservation Foundation

4:09 | Documentary series on the Brain Preservation Foundation

5:21 | Letter of Support for Aldehyde Stabilized Cryopreservation (and ‘next steps’ caveats)

5:51 | Nita's 2018 Neuroethics Ted Talk

5:54 | International Neuroethics Society

6:25 | Connectomics & new paths in neuroscience

8:10 | Allen Institute for Brain Science

8:47 | A connectome and analysis of the adult Drosophila central brain

9:33 | A visual intro to synaptic imaging in connectomics

10:28 | The structure of the nervous system of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

11:16 | Mouse Connectome Project at CIC

14:59 | Cryonics controversy

19:00 | Death, taxes, and synapses

20:51 | Uniform Law Commission

21:08 | The Uniform Determination of Death Act

24:25 | Watch Altered Carbon on Netflix

25:49 | Understanding the “Loss of Chance” Doctrine

37:13 | Understanding Physician-Assisted Death, or ‘Death with Dignity’

40:21 | Euthanasia in the Netherlands

46:01 |

Neuro Mapping & Napping

Neurotech Pub

08/25/22 • 66 min

Welcome back to Neurotech Pub! In this episode we’re talking about sleep–why we sleep, how sleep works on a neurophysiological level, and some of the emerging sleep technologies that are about to revolutionize this essential neural activity.

Our guests are Amy Kruse, PhD, General Partner at Prime Movers Lab, Ram Gurumoorthy, PhD, Founder and CTO of Stimscience & Somnee, and Luis de Lecea, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine.

This episode also features a video introduction to sleep stages by Paradromics Intern Zoe Lalji. This is essential viewing if you’re unfamiliar with the stages of sleep and want to follow along later in the episode.

Cheers!

Show Notes:

00:00 | Episode intro with Matt Angle and Amy Kruse

1:07 | StimScience in Fast Company

5:05 | Learned Motor Patterns Are Replayed in Human Motor Cortex during Sleep

6:43 | Connect with Prime Movers Lab

7:01 | PML on Medium

7:45 | Introduction to Sleep Stages

References:

Stages of Sleep Overview

REM vs Non-REM Sleep

Sleep Walking

Benefits of REM Sleep

Consequences of low REM sleep

Importance of Deep Sleep

Check out Zoe’s nonprofit organization, ALS Heroes, and her Ted Talk

12:24 | Pulling all-nighters

12:50 | Amy Kruse, PhD

13:00 | Ram Gurumoorthy, PhD

13:07 | Stimscience, now Somnee

13:30 | Luis de Lecea, PhD

18:26 | Gordon Rule, PhD

18:40 | Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (2004)

19:50 | Why do we sleep?

20:26 | Sleep drives metabolite clearance from the adult brain

20:35 | Sleep & DNA Repair

22:13 | Neural Activity can cause DNA damage

23:22 | Jerry Seigal

24:26 | DARPA Sleep Research

24:55 | Fur seals and sleep

25:08 | How do Whales and Dolphins Sleep Without Drowning?

25:54 | Putting Humans in Stasis Is the Best Way of Getting Us to Mars

27:36 | Sleep and Mortality

28:09 | The Sleeping Brain: Harnessing the Power of the Glymphatic System through Lifestyle Choices

28:27 | Giulio Tononi, MD, PhD

28:45 | Sleep, Memory, and Plasticity

28:52 | Sleep Cognition and Memory

29:00 | Sleeping up and down the phylogenetic tree

29:05 |

BCI Pioneers Part II

Neurotech Pub

07/12/22 • 44 min

The Panel:

Jan Scheuermann is an author and public speaker, and self-styled “professional lab rat.” She has spoken at DARPA, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, and the National Convention of the ALS Association about her experience as a BCI trial participant at UPitt. She is the author of a fictional mystery novel, Sharp as a Cucumber, available on Amazon. You can find out more about Jan and book her for public speaking events on her website or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Ian Burkhart is the President of the Ian Burkhart Foundation, which provides equipment not typically covered by insurance that improves independence for those with spinal cord injuries. He is also the Vice President of the North American Spinal Cord Injury Consortium, an advocacy organization that brings individuals with lived experience together with researchers to improve research, care, cure, and policy. In addition, Ian consults on medical device development and user interaction. Ian’s latest project is the BCI Pioneers Coalition, a platform to connect BCI users, researchers, industry, and other stakeholder groups to discuss the future of Brain Computer Interfaces. You can visit him on his website or connect with him on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

Nathan Copeland is a neurotechnology consultant, speaker, and digital artist. He has spoken at numerous conventions around the world about his experiences in the lab and has been featured in many prominent publications including, but not limited to, Wired, MIT Tech Review, NPR, Fortune, and the Atlantic. He is the creator of the first BCI NFTs, available on OpenSea. You can connect with Nathan on Instagram, Twitter, and Linkedin.

00:00 | Intro

0:14 | Neurotech Pub Episode 13: BCI Pioneers Part I

0:47 | Neurotech Pub Episode 10: Business Models in Neurotech

1:30 | BCI & Identity

1:30 | New Yorker - Do Brain Implants Change Your Identity?

2:09 | The Utah Array (Blackrock Neurotech)

16:05 | Learn more about Hector in Part 1

17:14 | Talking Form Factors

18:36 | CerePlex System

22:36 | Support Systems in BCI Adoption

38:35 | Get in Touch

38:54 | The Ian Burkhart Foundation

39:13 | Book Ian as a speaker

39:25 | North American Spinal Cord Injury Consortium (NASCIC)

40:04 | Where to find Ian

40:19 | Contact Nathan

40:25 | Nathan on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter

40:32 | Nathan's NFTs on OpenSea

Links to Jan’s lab photos and how to get in touch can be found here

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BCI Pioneers Part I

Neurotech Pub

06/16/22 • 49 min

In this very special two part series in collaboration with Blackrock Neurotech, Paradromics CEO Matt Angle and Blackrock Creative Director Taryn Southern co-host a discussion with BCI research pioneers Jan Scheuermann, Ian Burkhart, and Nathan Copeland. In part one, we discuss their personal journeys to becoming BCI pioneers, implant experiences with the Utah Array, their time in the lab, and some of their current projects. Learn more about Jan, Ian, and Nathan below and stay tuned for part two, coming in July 2022!

The Panel:

00:00 | Intro

6:10 | Who came first?

7:07 | Jan Scheuermann

7:18 | Tim Hemmes & the UPitt/UPMC Team

8:05 | New Yorker profile of Jan and the UPitt team

8:55 | View Jan’s photos from the lab

10:10 | Nathan Copeland

13:00 | Parietal Cortex

13:22 | Saccade Movements

14:12 | The Pioneer Experience

16:04 | Neuro Life Study | Additional Reference | Interview with Ian | Archives of PMR

18:15 | Mirror Therapy

23:50 | Jan in the Pilot Seat

25:07 |

Mind Control with Lasers: Optical Recording Part II

Neurotech Pub

05/13/22 • 103 min

Welcome back to Neurotech Pub!

This episode is part two of a two part series on optical methods for recording and stimulating neural activity. Our guests on this episode are Elizabeth Hillman, PhD, Mark Schnitzer, PhD, and Jacob Robinson, PhD. Last time we talked about optical recording methods, but in this episode we focus on optical stimulation methods.

Cheers!

Check out video and full transcript here: https://www.paradromics.com/podcast/episode-12-mind-control-with-lasers

00:00 | Intro

1:37 | Aspirational Papers

1:56 | Packer Lab

2:10 | What is the claustrum?

2:30 | Ian's paper (but only part of it!)

3:02 | Two-Photon Bidirectional Control and Imaging In Vivo

3:29 | Inferring Spikes from Calcium Imaging

5:45 | Neuropixels are now in humans

7:12 | Paper by Pachitariu et al

7:55 | Ian Oldenburg

10:02 | Kaufman Lab

11:21 | Cortical activity in the null space: permitting preparation without movement

12:08 | Motor cortical dynamics shaped by multiple distinct subspaces during naturalistic behavior

12:33 | Tickling Cells with Light

14:41 | Light-activated ion channels for remote control of neuronal firing

14:50 | Remote Control of Behavior through Genetically Targeted Photostimulation of Neurons

15:20 | Millisecond-timescale, genetically targeted optical control of neural activity

16:03 | Red-shifted Opsins

16:52 | eNpHR: a Natronomonas halorhodopsin enhanced for optogenetic applications

17:26 | Genetically Targeted Optical Control of an Endogenous G Protein-Coupled Receptor

18:16 | Neural Dust

18:41 | Wireless magnetothermal deep brain stimulation

19:05 | Neural Stimulation Through Ultrasound

19:20 | Methods and Modalities: Sculpting Light

21:35 | Recent advances in patterned photostimulation for optogenetics

22:50 | Two-photon microscopy is now over 30 years old (Denk 1990)

25:22 | Optical Recording State of the Art

27:06 | Challenges of Deep Tissue 2-Photon Imaging

28:21 | Deisseroth Lab

28:29 | Temporal Precision of Optical Stimulation

29:09 | Simultaneous all-optical manipulation and recording

30:40 | Targeted Ablation in Somatosensory Cortex

33:29 | Commercial...

Let there be Light: Optical Recording Part I

Neurotech Pub

04/11/22 • 89 min

Welcome back to Neurotech Pub!

This episode is one of a two part series on optical methods for recording and stimulating neural activity. Our guests on this episode are Elizabeth Hillman, PhD, Mark Schnitzer, PhD, and Jacob Robinson, PhD. So far, our technical dives have focused mainly on direct electrical recording and stimulation of neural activity, but in this episode we deep dive into advantages that all-optical interfaces might have over electrical interfaces, and the challenges in developing them.

In addition, we talk about running highly collaborative, interdisciplinary projects that span traditional physics and engineering with biology, a theme that is ever-present in neurotech and is also highlighted in part two of this series.

Cheers!

Check out full video with transcript here: https://www.paradromics.com/podcast/episode-11-let-there-be-light

Show Notes

Latest news & publications since recording:

>> Hillman Lab: New publication on SCAPE in Nature Biomedical Engineering

>> Robinson Lab: Review article in Optica on Recent advances in lensless imaging

>> Robinson Lab: BioRxiv pre-print on in vivo fluorescence imaging

1:23 | The Heart and Soul of a Paper

2:32| Ultrasmall Mode Volumes in Dielectric Optical Microcavities

3:01 | Robinson Lab

4:01 | Hillman Lab

4:07 | Zuckerman Institute

4:15 | Schnitzer Lab

4:25 | Howard Hughes Medical Institute

4:41| Miniature Fluorescence Microscope

9:02 | Discovery of DNA Structure and Function

10:25 | Hodgkin–Huxley Equations

13:49 | Vessel Dilation in the Brain

16:03 | State of the art of Neural Optical Recording

18:03 | Long-Term Optical Access to an Estimated One Million Neurons in Mouse Cortex

24:56 | Watch the Crystal Skull video

27:45 | High-Speed Cellular-Resolution Light Beads Microscopy

29:54 | Relationship between spiking activity and calcium imaging

32:50 | Analytical & Quantitative Light Microscopy [AQLM]

32:59 | Imaging Structure & Function in the Nervous System

35:22 | NIH Brain Initiative Cell Census Network (BICCN)

35:54 | Allen Brain Atlas: Cell Types

40:17 | A Theory of Multineuronal Dimensionality, Dynamics and Measurement

46:19 | Dr. Laura Waller's DIY Diffuser Cam

50:38 | FlatCam by Robinson Lab

53:42 | Advantages of MEG

55:06| Random Access Two Photon Scanning Techniques

56:07 |

Building (and Funding) Neurotech Companies

Neurotech Pub

07/28/21 • 89 min

Welcome to the Season 1 finale of Neurotech Pub!

In this episode, host and Paradromics CEO, Matt Angle, speaks with fellow Neurotech CEOs, Konstantinos Alataris, Frank Fischer, and Marcus Gerhardt.

"We cover a lot in this discussion, but one of the big themes is how challenging it can be to raise money, to build neuro devices. This episode was originally recorded last winter, and it was instantly one of my favorite episodes. So like a fine wine, I laid it down until the time was right to share it with friends.

Since the episode was recorded, Nesos, Paradromics, and BlackRock all had major funding announcements. Nesos and BlackRock underwent rebranding campaigns, and NeuroPace went public on Nasdaq. This podcast was recorded during a bleak winter, but our optimism proved prescient. The podcast aged well, and now the field is the strongest, best funded, and most exciting that it's ever been. I know you'll enjoy the discussion."
- Matt Angle, CEO, Paradromics

Check out full video with transcript here: https://www.paradromics.com/podcast/neurotech-pub-episode-9-building-and-funding-neurotech-companies

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The Drinks Bring Back All The Memories

Neurotech Pub

07/06/21 • 104 min

Welcome back to Neurotech Pub!

In this episode, host and Paradromics CEO, Matt Angle, brings together memory-researchers Nanthia Suthana (Assist. Prof. of Neurosurgery and Bioengineering, UCLA School of Medicine) and Gyorgy Buzsaki (Biggs Professor of Neuroscience, NYU School of Medicine), and scientist-entrepreneurs Dan Rizzuto (CEO of Nia Therapeutics) and Nick Halper (Co-Founder of Braingrade) to discuss memory, and memory enhancement applications of BCI.

Like many of you I approached, and to some extent still do approach, the concept of memory enhancement with skepticism. But the conversation today is going to be a grounded one, and I think you will see that there is some real science here that can give us reason to be cautiously optimistic about the future of memory and BCI. I hope you enjoy the episode.
- Matt Angle

Check out full video with transcript here: https://www.paradromics.com/podcast/neurotech-pub-episode-8-the-drinks-bring-back-all-the-memories

00:43 | Guest Introductions

07:38 | Types of Memory

26:47 | Building a Memory Prosthetic

38:05 | Predicting the Future: BCI to Decode/Reconstruct Memory

46:26 | Clinical Evidence of Modulating Memory

1:02:52 | New Approaches For Enhancing Memory

1:17:48 | Closing the Research-Clinical Gap

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Where There's Blood, There's Signal

Neurotech Pub

07/30/24 • 108 min

This episode features Paradromics CEO Matt Angle in a compelling discussion with Sumner Norman, Co-founder & CEO at Forest Neurotech; Ryan Field,CEO at Kernel; and Mary Lou Jepsen, Founder and CEO of Openwater. They share their career influences, discuss the challenges of managing interdisciplinary teams, and explore the future of neuroimaging and brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). Delving into ultrasound and optical-based techniques, they highlight the transformative potential of non-invasive methods for diagnosing and treating brain conditions. Furthermore, they addresses regulatory hurdles, the evolution of focused research organizations, and offers valuable advice for early-career researchers on leveraging industry trends and fundamental research to drive technological advancements.

Guest Quote:

“And I think what we're trying to work on is the silicon hospital of the future with this capability, like the modern smartphone, that can reach everybody, regardless of income levels or borders.” - Mary Lou Jepsen

Timestamps:

*(00:00) Welcome to Neurotech Pub

*(00:06) Meet the Guests

*(02:48) Balancing Mentorship and Startup Demands

*(05:36) Interdisciplinary Challenges in Neurotech

*(07:11) Hardware Development and Efficiency

*(18:12) Medical Device Development and Regulatory Challenges

*(23:37) Technical Deep Dive: Optical and Acoustic Signatures

*(24:00) Ultrasound in Brain-Computer Interfaces

*(34:57) Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Mental Health

*(55:55) Understanding Stroke and Thrombectomy

*(56:51) Innovations in Cancer Treatment and Blood Flow Analysis

*(57:39) Challenges and Trials in Medical Technology

*(58:42) Open Source Medical Technology and Global Collaboration

*(58:59) The Evolution of Brain-Computer Interfaces

*(01:02:42) Advancements in Ultrasound Technology

*(01:03:39) The Role of MEMS and Silicon in Medical Devices

*(01:09:29) The Importance of Fundamental Research

*(01:14:48) The Future of Neurotechnology and Industry Trends

*(01:17:58) Advice for Aspiring Researchers and Entrepreneurs

*(01:29:41) Leadership and Transition in Tech Companies

*(01:40:07) Focused Research Organizations and Their Impact

*(01:46:08) Final Thoughts and Optimism for Neurotech

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Your Future Self Will Thank You | Connectomics Part II

Neurotech Pub

03/22/23 • 60 min

We’re back with Part II of our two-part series on Connectomics!

In part one we speculated on the legal and ethical implications of emerging technologies in the connectomics field. In part two, we don our lab coats and take a deep dive into the latest research tools, from fixation protocols for the preservation of neural tissue, to multimodal imaging techniques, to the machine intelligence designed to interpret massive data sets and reconstruct the vast neural circuits that make up the connectome.

Our guests are:

Kenneth Hayworth, PhD, President and Co-Founder of the Brain Preservation Foundation, Senior Scientist at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Farm Research Campus (JFRC)
Robert McIntyre, CEO at Nectome
Jeremy Maitin-Shepard, PhD, Software Engineer–Connectomics at Google

In this episode, Ken and Robert from part one return to the pub, and we are also joined by Jeremy Maitin-Shepard, an engineer and researcher at Google, who shares insights into some of the machine intelligence modalities being used to decode previously uncharted neural networks. Check out Jeremy’s recent paper on BioRxiv, as well as his published work at Google.

If you missed part one, you can listen and explore the show notes here. Cheers!

Show Notes:

0:00 | Intro

1:03 | Kenneth Hayworth, PhD

1:12 | Robert McKintyre, CEO, Nectome

1:17 | Jeremy Maitin-Shepard, PhD

1:51 | Setting the record straight

3:09 | The nucleotide sequence of bacteriophage φX174

4:22 | Frozen Zoo at San Diego Zoo

12:01| Glutaraldehyde and reduction techniques for immunolabeling

17:39 | SWITCH Framework

19:14 | Population Responses in V1 Encode Different Figures by Response Amplitude