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Brain Waves

The field of neurotechnology, the focus of this blog, encompasses advances in brain science (neurons), information technology (bits) and bioengineering (genes). Up for discussion and analysis: the political, economic, ethical, and social forces that will shape the future of what will be one of the most important and fascinating stories of the coming decades.

McGovern Institue for Brain Research at MIT Goes Web 2.0

2 Mar 2010 at 1:35 pm

It's no secret I a big fan of the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT. They've launched a new website with lots of cool videos and details about the extraordinary research they are doing. Take a few minutes and wander around for yourself and become a fan on FaceBook.

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The Neurodiagnostics Report 2010: Brain Imaging, Biomarkers and NeuroInformatics

9 Feb 2010 at 11:23 am

120_Neurodiagnostics_Report_Cover_200.jpgWe've recently published "The Neurodiagnostics Report 2010: Brain Imaging, Biomarkers and NeuroInformatics," a report published by NeuroInsights. It is a fully updated second annual industry insider report detailing markets and emerging diagnostics in neurology and psychiatry. In addition to the massive unmet markets, long-term growth in neurodiagnostics is being driven by technology advances and

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Neuropharma FDA Approvals Down in 2009

1 Feb 2010 at 12:08 pm

200_Neurosurgery-Cover.jpgAs we report today in this month's edition of Neurotech Insights, five of the 26 new drugs and biologics approved by the FDA were neuropharmaceuticals: Vanda/Novartis’ Fanapt for schizophrenia, Lundbeck's Sabril for infantile spasms and add-on for refractory partial seizures, Cypress/Forest’s Savella for fibromyalgia, Merck's (Organon) Saphris for bipolar and schizophrenia, and Novartis’ bra

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Tel Aviv Neurotech Cluster Thrives

17 Jan 2010 at 11:18 am

israel_flag-300x240.jpgLast week David Brooks wrote a spot on column about innovation in Tel Aviv, Israel. This is readily apparent in my own analysis of the global neurotechnology industry where Tel Aviv is rapidly becoming an innovation hub for next generation drugs, devices and diagnostics for the brain and nervous systems as I recently described in NIO's Neurotech Clusters 2010 report:

Tel Aviv, Israel is the amon

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McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT - Must See 20 Minute Video

23 Dec 2009 at 2:56 pm

McGovern.png I highly recommend that you take 20 minutes over the next week to watch this important video that takes you on an intimate tour of the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT.

As a member of the Leadership Board at the McGovern Institute, I've had the opportunity over the past several years to see first hand the brilliant, world-leading research occurring everyday at the Institute. I am ext

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Neurofeedback Gets the Test

16 Dec 2009 at 11:30 am

eeg%20neurofeedback2.jpgYesterday's Washington Post highlighted a wide scale eeg-based neurofeedback trial being conducted by the NIMH for ADHD. To date, neurofeedback for ADHD has been a cottage industry with continued attempts to bring it into the mainstream. However, lack of consensus around efficacy and its cost relative to popping pills have hindered patient adoption. Given the powerful nature of ADHD meds, it will

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New Neurotech Legislative Initiative in Early Development

10 Dec 2009 at 4:26 pm

DC.jpgBlogging has taken a back seat to a whole bunch of legislative projects, meetings (attending and organizing), and membership recruitment efforts. Here is a bit of insight into a new piece of legislation we may be pushing forward with at NIO in the coming year.

Transferable Priority Review Vouchers for Severe and Neglected Brain Diseases: A priority review voucher is an incentive for companies to

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Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Forum on Neuroscience

9 Nov 2009 at 6:47 pm

Screen%20shot%202009-11-09%20at%203.51.40%20PM.pngOff to Princeton to participate in a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation meeting on Connecting Revolutions in Neuroscience with Health and Health Care tomorrow. We'll be engaged in a series of highly iterative, forward-looking discussions that will culminate in a wrap-up that integrates the thinking across neurotechnology, neuroscience and behavioral health and outlines connections and implications for

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Opportunities in Neuroscience for Future Army Applications

30 Oct 2009 at 1:56 pm

9780309127400.jpgFloyd Bloom and team have done all of us a service with this extensively researched and well thought out analysis. I'm using the findings right now on a new piece of legislation in development. Opportunities in Neuroscience for Future Army Applications makes 17 recommendations that focus on utilizing current scientific research and development initiatives to improve performance and efficiency, col

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Neurotech Clusters: Leading Regions in the Global Neurotechnology Industry

22 Oct 2009 at 5:45 pm

sf.jpgThis reports really represents the economic geographer in me wondering how the neurotech industry is developing across space. After months of data collection, writing and analysis here are the results. Go to the NIO website to download the 100 page report.

According to NeuroInsights and NIO, the top nine neurotech regions with composite scores are:
1. San Francisco Bay Area, CA (100)

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The Young and the Neuro "Revolution"

14 Oct 2009 at 11:02 am

From prefix to adjective and now David Brooks makes "the Neuro" a noun. The meme lives.

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2010 Translational Neurotech Summit, Call For Speakers

8 Oct 2009 at 5:27 pm

2010NDFSummit%20banner%20448.jpgThe Neurotech Development Foundation is organizing a Translational Neurotech Summit on May 18, 2010. This one day gathering of scientists, entrepreneurs, executives and investors will be held coordination with The 5th annual Neurotech Investing and Partnering Conference May 19-20, 2010. The goal of the summit is to facilitate the movement of promising neurotechnology (pharmaceuticals, biologics,

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Half the Sky - The Greatest Moral Issue of Our Time

24 Sep 2009 at 5:20 pm

Screen%20shot%202009-09-24%20at%202.38.57%20PM.pngNicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn have joined forces to publish "Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women" which was released earlier this month. I just ordered my copy. Here is their reasoning why.

IN THE 19TH CENTURY, the paramount moral challenge was slavery. In the 20th century, it was totalitarianism. In this century, it is the brutality inflicted on so many women and g ... read more

 

2019 - President Signs NINA (Neuro Information Nondiscrimination Act)

21 Sep 2009 at 3:02 pm

NINA.pngA few weeks ago I participated in a day long discussion at the Institute for the Future in Palo Alto around the topic of When Everything is Programmable. Lots of very interesting scenarios and viewpoints were shared. For my part, I stuck to the theme of our emerging neurosociety. Towards the end of the day each of us were asked to write up a 10 year scenario focused on our area of expertise. Jake

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Decade of Mind V Takes the Message to Berlin

10 Sep 2009 at 5:41 pm

handbrain.pngBig brain thinkers are aggregating in Berlin over next few days for the Decade of the Mind V Conference. The three themes are Education (how neuroscience can aid educational research and policy); Social Policy (how neuroeconomics can inform public policy); and Health (neurotech developments for brain related illness).

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