Translational Neural Engineering: Multiple Perspectives

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The new NIH roadmap lays out a streamlined bench-to-bedside philosophy that should be applied to future biomedical research. Within the field of Neural Engineering (NE), Neurotech Reports projects that the overall worldwide market for neurotechnology products will be $3.1 billion in 2006. They predict this will reach $7.6 billion in 2010. For the typical academic researcher engaged in more traditional "basic" research, these trends represents both an opportunity and a challenge: an opportunity to more directly impact clinically relevant problems via commercialization, but a challenge to adapt from more traditional ways of practicing academic science and engineering. Although the need to shift towards a translational emphasis affects all areas of biomedical research, the field of Neural Engineering (NE) is uniquely impacted by virtue of the biologically protected status of the brain and nervous system. Not only do interventions here face some of the greatest scientific challenges of all biological systems, they can also raise serious ethical concerns. The goal of the proposed program is to provide support for a half-day special-topic symposium on Translational Neural Engineering at the annual meeting of the Biomedical Engineering Society. The symposium is titled "Translational Neural Engineering: Multiple Perspectives On Bringing Benchtop Research Into The Clinical Domain". The main objective of the special symposium is to consider the question: What constitutes a viable model for translational research in the field of Neural Engineering? Implicit in the formulation of an answer to this question is the need to: define translational NE research, identify successful and unsuccessful strategies within NE, and highlight areas of need and opportunity within NE. To achieve this, a diverse and broad- ranging list of speakers has been assembled. Successful academic science and engineering researchers who have had translational research success, the clinicians who have been involved in the process, a bioethicist and a representative from a government funding agency have already agreed to participate. The symposium is particularly well-suited for educating students (who constitute 65% of the >2100 attendees) and junior faculty. The long-term objective of the symposia is to equip traditional researchers with the skills, methodologies and mindset for success in translational neural engineering. A white paper on translational neural engineering will be submitted as a manuscript to Journal of Neural Engineering after the meeting. The proposed symposia becomes relevant to public health when the long- term objectives are met and traditional research engineers are adequately trained to navigate the waters of successful translational research in neural engineering. This will effectively provide a smoother/faster path to market for the clinical application of exciting neural engineering technological breakthroughs aimed at improving diagnostic and therapeutic success for diseases of the nervous system. The proposed symposia titled "Translational Neural Engineering: Multiple Perspectives On Bringing Benchtop Research Into The Clinical Domain" becomes relevant to public health when the long-term objectives are met and traditional research engineers are adequately trained to navigate the waters of successful translational research. This will effectively provide a smoother/faster path to market for the clinical application of exciting technological breakthroughs aimed at improving diagnostic and therapeutic success for diseases of the nervous system.