Welcome to Neurocareers, the podcast that proves the impossible is possible! We're thrilled to bring you the second episode of our BCI Award Neurocareers series featuring Prof. Nicholas Opie, the mastermind behind the revolutionary Stentrode and endovascular neural interfaces.
Prof. Opie, a biomedical engineer and the founding CTO of Synchron, knows what it takes to succeed in the innovative field of neurotech. Prof. Opie's Stentrode project won 1st place in the International BCI Award competition in 2021. In this podcast episode, he'll share his top tips for winning the International BCI Award and building a successful career in the industry.
Join us as we dive deep into the Stentrode revolution and discover how endovascular neural interfaces are changing the game. Prof. Opie will take us through his groundbreaking research and share insights on making the impossible possible in neurotech.
As always, Neurocareers inspires and educates you on the exciting and ever-evolving world of neuroscience and neurotechnologies. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from one of the best in the field!
This BCI Award Neurocareers series is a partnership between Milena Korostenskaja, PhD at the Institute of Neuroapproaches, and Christoph Guger, PhD at g.tec biomedical engineering.
About the Podcast Guest:
Professor Nicholas Opie, BE BSc PhD MBA is a biomedical engineer and world expert in neural interfaces. He is a Professor and Laboratory Head of the Vascular Bionics Laboratory, Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, and an NHMRC Research Fellow.
Prof Opie has taken multiple numerous biomedical devices from concept to clinic, including a suprachoroidal retinal prosthesis (bionic eye) designed to restore sight to those with profound vision loss and a motor neuron prosthesis (bionic spine) that is aimed at restoring independence, communication, and mobility to those with paralysis. He has published over 55 peer-reviewed journal articles, including Nature Biomedical Engineering and Nature Biotechnology. He has filed over 90 patents and was awarded the 2021 NFMRI John Raftos AM Award for Advancing Innovation.
Prof Opie is the founding CTO of Synchron, a neural interface company based in Melbourne and New York, and has raised over AUD$210M in private funding and grants. Prof Opie designed and developed Synchron’s flagship product, the Stentrode™, listed in Time Magazine’s Top 100 Inventions of 2021. The Stentrode and Synchron system aims to provide treatment for debilitating medical illnesses and enable patients to feel empowered by reconnecting online in ways that dramatically improve their lives.
Following a successful first-in-human trial conducted in Australia on the Stentrode motor neuroprosthesis, Prof Opie and Synchrone recently received approval from the US FDA. This trial will commence this year and paves the way toward the first FDA approval for implantable brain-computer interfaces.
Prof Opie at the University of Melbourn: https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/430403-nicholas-opie
Learn about the Stentrode SWITCH study with four patients: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36622685/
Visit the Synchron page to learn more about their technology: https://synchron.com/
Connect with Prof Nicholas Opie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/professor-nicholas-opie-4603289a/
About the podcast host:
The Neurocareers podcast is brought to you by The Institute of Neuroapproaches (https://www.neuroapproaches.org/) and its founder, Milena Korostenskaja, Ph.D. (Dr. K), a neuroscience educator, research consultant, and career coach for students and recent graduates in neuroscience and neurotechnologies. As a professional coach with a background in the field, Dr. K understands the unique challenges and opportunities facing students in this field and can provide personalized coaching and support to help you succeed.
Here's what you'll get with one-on-one coaching sessions from Dr. K:
You can always schedule a free neurocareer consultation/coaching session with Dr. K at https://neuroapproaches.as.me/free-neurocareer-consultation
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