Innovative Neurotechnologies: A journey from the Lab to the Clinic
Speaker:
Abdelmadjid Hihi, PhD
Deputy Director for Scientific Affairs and Partnerships at Clinatec
Abstract:
Integrated medical device development platforms are a must to facilitate the connection between technology R&D and clinical deployment of innovative devices. In addition to clinical operability, such platforms may ensure an early compliance to industrial norms and regulatory constraints. These elements are key to successfully bring novel medical devices to the real world. Clinatec together with the Edmond J. Safra Biomedical Research Center, based at CEA-LETI2, Grenoble, France, conducts research at the frontier of healthcare and micro- and nano-electronics. Its teams of medical doctors, biologists, mathematicians, and engineers bring a unique, multi-disciplinary approach to diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and motor disabilities. Neurotechnologies are of particular importance for Clinatec. Recently, Dr. Hihi’s tream has developed a Brain-Computer Interface that consists of a wireless electrocorticography device for long-term clinical use to benefit motor-disabled patients. Effectors include exoskeletons, as well as electrical spinal cord stimulators to close the loop in a so-called ‘brain-spine interface’. In this respect, effective brain cortical signal processing paradigms are of utter importance. Moreover, innovative neuromodulation approaches based on photobiomodulation are currently developed for neurodegenerative disease treatment, in particular for Parkinson’s disease.
Dr. Hihi is a member of CEA-Leti’s Internal Scientific Council. He is responsible for coordinating international public-private partnerships funded by the European Commission and DARPA. The focus is on medical devices, biomedical research, and neurotechnologies. Before joining Clinatec, Madjid was at Génome Québec as Scientific Program Manager, and at Chronogen Inc. (Montreal, Quebec) as R&D group leader. He regularly gives lectures in universities and business schools in France, Algeria, and Japan and has been training graduate students in innovation management at Clinatec since 2014. Madjid holds a Ph.D in biological sciences from Lausanne University (1999), and was a Swiss National Fund postdoctoral fellow, and a McGill University postgraduate alumni.
