IEEE Brain Discovery and Neurotechnology Workshop
November 11 – 13, 2025
Washington, DC, USA
Registration Open – Early Bird Rate through September 1, 2025
Advances in understanding of the brain both in healthy individuals and those suffering from a disorder is leading to groundbreaking discoveries and engineering solutions. Even so, development and deployment of effective neurotechnology and means of studying the brain through neuroimaging techniques and machine learning requires an integrated approach as well as close collaboration among the neuroengineering community, neuroscientists, and clinical practitioners. The goal of this workshop is to bring together researchers and practitioners across academia, industry, and the clinical profession to highlight innovative neurotechnology and brain research methods, emphasizing their potential to improve understanding of the brain and address a wide range of disorders to improve the human condition.
The Workshop program consists of three tracks covering emerging neurotechnologies, machine learning and computer paradigms for brain discovery, and clinical applications and impact. Each track includes a keynote speaker and invited speakers who will discuss their work in the context of larger issues in each of these topic areas. Other program highlights are panel sessions on the ethical implications of neurotechnology and the development of standards, clinical priorities and challenges, and future growth areas in these emerging fields. A call for poster presentations and live demonstrations will be posted soon.
Program Committee
General Chairs
Vesna Sossi, University of British Columbia, Canada
Ljiljana Trajkovic, Simon Fraser University, Canada
Local Chair
Martin McKeown, University of British Columbia, Canada
Program Chairs
Emerging Neurotechnologies:
Guy Dumont, University of British Columbia, Canada
Rikky Muller, UC Berkeley, USA
Machine Learning and Computer Paradigms for Brain Discovery:
Jane Wang, University of British Columbia, Canada
Tiago Falk, INRS-EMT, Montréal, Canada
Clinical Applications and Impact:
Martin McKeown, University of British Columbia, Canada
Ravi Hadimani, Virginia Commonwealth University
Jose Contreras-Vidal, University of Houston, USA
Workshop Committee
Selin Aviyente, Chair, Michigan State University, USA
Damien Coyle, University of Bath, UK
Gert Cauwenberghs, UC, San Diego, USA
Metin Akay, University of Houston
Vince Calhoun, TReNDS Center (Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Emory University), USA
Communications
Cynthia Weber, Program Manager, IEEE Brain
Thanks to Our Partners
We would like to thank the IEEE Member Societies and Associations for their support of IEEE Brain.
IEEE Brain Discovery and Neurotechnology Workshop Symposiums
Emerging Neurotechnologies
In recent years a range of new neurotechnology innovations have emerged to enable neuroimaging and neural recording and interfacing at multiple scales in variety of settings—in the lab, in the clinic, and in the wild—including low-cost wearable electroencephalography (EEG), ultra-high density EEG, stereoelectroencephalography (sEEG), advanced functional near infrared spectrography (fNIRS) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), functional ultrasound imaging (fUS), optically pumped magnetometer magnetoencephalography (OPM-MEG), neural lace, neural dust, stent-electrode recording arrays (stentrodes) and endovascular recording techniques, multielectrode arrays, elecrtocorticographic (ECoG) arrays, multi-photon optics for high-throughput/high-resolution functional brain imaging, and optogenetics. This session aims to present examples of the latest scientific studies involving a selection of these approaches as well as discussion surrounding feasibility of development within the next 5-10 years and major opportunities and challenges in deploying these technologies.
Machine Learning and Computer Paradigms for Brain Discovery
Advances in noninvasive neuroimaging technology such as magnetic resonance imaging and magnetoencephalography have enabled the study of both the healthy and disordered human brain with increasing temporal and spatial resolution. Neuroimaging data poses some unique challenges such as low signal-to-noise ratio, small sample size, and high dimensionality. Recent methodological advances in machine learning have enabled the analysis of brain data across multiple scales and modalities. Current challenges and problems of interest include: neuromorphic systems engineering for brain-inspired natural intelligence; development of interpretable deep learning architectures for learning from neural data; network neuroscience for functional/structural connectivity network analysis, i.e., brain connectomics, across time and subjects; variability of brain networks across subjects; multimodal data fusion; classification and prediction of health status or specific outcomes through biomarker identification. This session aims to present examples of the latest research in machine learning and computer paradigms for brain discovery involving a selection of these approaches as well as discussion on challenges and opportunities, including the transition to clinical practice and applications such as preventive predictive actions.
Clinical Applications and Impact
The first demonstration of a technology for a clinical application with impact was deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease. Interestingly, it took less than 25 years for this technology to become established with more than 80,000 patients having received an implant by 2010. Technologies that restore, replace, or enhance human nervous system function are emerging fast but few are used in daily clinical practice or at home. In this symposium, we will be presenting some of the most promising technologies that have broad clinical application prospects and discuss their remaining important challenges. These include optogenetics-based therapies, where recent advances in optogenetic real-time monitoring and therapeutic interventions have opened up the possibility for providing a complementary treatment following brain injury; neuroprosthetics for the restoration of vision, hearing, or motor function; as well as neuromodulation devices such as brain-computer-interfaces, and more.
Keynote Speakers
Anahita Kyani, Director, Neuroscience, Data Science and Digital Health, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
Rewiring the Brain Digitally: The Role of Digital Health in Neurotechnology
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Dr. Anahita Kyani is a dedicated leader, innovator, and mentor in neuroscience and the digital health industry. She currently leads a team at Johnson & Johnson focused on advancing precision medicine in neurodegeneration, working on cutting-edge digital health platforms to improve early detection and monitoring of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Previously, she served as Director of Data Systems and Advanced Analytics at Onward Medical and Abbott Neuromodulation, where she led multidisciplinary teams of biomedical engineers and scientists working on pioneering neurotechnology solutions. With a background spanning research, development, and strategic leadership, Anahita has delivered impactful solutions in biowearables, digital health, and translational medicine. Her work has been recognized with several prestigious awards and published in high-ranking journals. She holds multiple patents and invention disclosures in digital health technologies and algorithm development. As Chair of Women in Biomedical Engineering at IEEE, Anahita is passionate about empowering the next generation of professionals, fostering mentorship, and creating opportunities for young innovators to thrive in science and technology. She believes in the power of collaboration and shared learning to drive meaningful innovation. Anahita also serves as President of the Zoroastrian Association of North Texas, where she leads community-focused initiatives, supports youth programs, and strengthens cultural ties through events and volunteer engagement. Committed to helping young professionals grow as leaders, innovators, and advocates for patient-centered care, Anahita brings an inspiring perspective on building a career that blends science, technology, and social impact. |
Alain Dagher MD, Professor, Dept. of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University
Computational Models of Neurodegeneration Provide Insights into Disease Mechanisms
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Alain Dagher is a neurologist and attending physician at the McGill University Health Centre and Montreal Neurological Institute, with a specialty in Parkinson’s Disease and movement disorders. He was trained at the University of Toronto, McGill, Cornell University, and the Hammersmith Hospital and Institute of Neurology, London. His research has three main components: (1) understanding pathophysiological mechanisms in Parkinson’s disease; (2) study the mechanisms whereby obesity increases the risk of neurogenerative disease, using human brain imaging and big data; (3) identify the neural mechanisms that support motivated decision-making, with application to addiction and obesity. He combines computational models with brain imaging in human subjects, including anatomical and functional magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography and transcranial magnetic stimulation. His group has recently investigated the topography of neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s Disease to test propagation models, develop biomarkers, and stratify patients to predict disease outcomes. Research focuses on Parkinson’s disease and obesity. He has published extensively on brain imaging (H index = 92; 244 publications, ~100 since 2019-2024; 16,104 citations since 2019 (Google scholar) and is senior editor of Imaging Neuroscience, a recently-launched open-access journal of neuroimaging. He is a fellow |
Tülay Adali, Distinguished University Professor, University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), Baltimore, MD, USA
Matrix and Tensor Factorizations for Neuroimaging Data Analysis and Fusion
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Tülay ADALI is a Distinguished University Professor at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), Baltimore, MD. Prof. Adali has been active within the IEEE. She served as the Chair of the IEEE Brain Technical Community in 2023, and the Signal Processing Society (SPS) Vice President for Technical Directions 2019−2022. She is currently the editor-in-chief of the IEEE Signal Processing Magazine. Her roles in conference organization include general/technical chair position for the IEEE Machine Learning for Signal Processing (MLSP) and Neural Networks for Signal Processing (NNSP) Workshops 2001−2009, 2014, and 2023, and program/technical chair position for the IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing (ICASSP) in 2017 and 2026. She was the Chair of the NNSP/MLSP Technical Committee, 2003–2005 and 2011–2013, and served on numerous boards and technical committees of the SPS. Prof. Adali is a Fellow of the IEEE, AIMBE, and AAIA, a Fulbright Scholar, an IEEE SPS Distinguished Lecturer, and the UMBC Presidential Research Professor for 2024-2027. She is the recipient of SPS Meritorious Service Award, Humboldt Research Award, IEEE SPS Best Paper Award, SPIE Unsupervised Learning and ICA Pioneer Award, the University System of Maryland Regents’ Award for Research, and the NSF CAREER Award. Her current research interests are in statistical signal processing and machine learning, with applications to neuroimaging data analysis. |
Elisa Konofagou, Columbia University, USA
Ultrasound Neuromodulation of the Central and Peripheral Nervous System Towards Pain Treatment
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Elisa Konofagou is the Robert and Margaret Hariri Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Professors Radiology and Neurosurgery as well as Director of the Ultrasound and Elasticity Imaging Laboratory at Columbia University in New York City. Her main interests are in the development of novel imaging, theranostic and therapeutic ultrasound methods for the advancement of therapeutic ultrasound. Elisa has co-authored over 320 published articles in the aforementioned fields. Elisa is a Member of the National Academy of Medicine (US), an Elected Fellow of the International Society of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (IEEE), the American Institute of Biological and Medical Engineering (AIMBE) and the Acoustical Society of America (ASA). Elisa is recipient of the CAREER award by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Nagy award by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Technological Achievement Award by the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology society (EMBS), the Carl Hellmuth Hertz Ultrasonics Award by the IEEE Society in Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control (UFFC), the Janette and Armen Avanessians Diversity Award and Faculty Service Award by Columbia university and the Elisabeth Papazoglou Inspired Leadership Award by Drexel university as well as additional recognitions by the American Heart Association, the Acoustical Society of America, the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, the American Association of Physicists in Medicine, the Wallace H. Coulter foundation, the Bodossaki foundation, the Society of Photo-optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) and the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Elisa also serves as the current President of the International Society of Therapeutic Ultrasound. |
Peter Konrad, Chairman, Department of Neurosurgery, Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, West Virginia University, USA
Frontiers of Neuromodulation: Opioid Use Disorder
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Peter Konrad, MD PhD completed graduate degrees from Purdue University in Biomedical Engineering and Physiology developing device technology for cardiac implants (MS ’85) and motor systems physiology (PhD ’88) under Presidential Medal of Technology Awardee – Dr. Leslie Geddes. He became very interested in implantable medical device technology and neural engineering and sought to become a neurosurgical expert in the field of neurological implants. After completing medical school from Indiana University in 1991, he went on to Vanderbilt for neurosurgical residency and finished in 1997. Dr. Konrad remained at Vanderbilt from 1998 until 2020, where he grew one of the largest clinical programs in deep brain stimulation (DBS) and functional neurosurgery. Dr. Konrad came to the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute in 2020 as the JW Ruby Professor of Neurosurgery and Neuroscience and became the Executive Director for Clinical Translational Neuroscience, charged with leading clinical trials research. He transitioned to the position of Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery in April of 2022. Dr. Konrad has mentored over 40 graduate students and clinical fellows in all areas of neural engineering and neuroscience research. He brings 25 years of federal and industry funded research experience as well as over 140 peer reviewed publications in the field of functional neurosurgery and neural engineering. He has served as advisor to the Congress of Neurological Surgeons on medical devices and was a Board of Director member of the American Association of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery. After 18 years on the Board of the North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS), he served as the president during 2020-2022. Dr. Konrad brings to the RNI a passion for clinical care, research and mentorship, especially in neurological device technology. In his role as Chairman of Neurosurgery, he is helping shape the next generation of leaders in neurosurgery at West Virginia University. In doing so, he enjoys mentoring students and faculty, acknowledging that innovation in healthcare depends on seeing through the eyes of discovery in others. |
Speakers
Karen Cheung, University of British Columbia, Canada
Hybrid Biomaterials and Microfabricated Electrode Arrays for Spinal Cord Interface Technologies
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Karen Cheung received her B.S. and PhD. degrees in Bioengineering from the University of California, Berkeley. She did her postdoctoral work in microtechnologies at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland. She is a Professor in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering and the School of Biomedical Engineering at the University of British Columbia. She is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. Her research interests include biosensors, organ-on-chip, and microfluidics. |
Christoph Guger, g.tec medical engineering GmbH, Austria
Brain-Computer Interfaces for Neurorehabilitation and Ultra-high Density
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Christoph Guger studied electrical and biomedical engineering at the University of Technology Graz in Austria and Johns Hopkins University in the USA and received his PhD in 1999. In 1999, he started the company g.tec, which has now branches in Austria, Spain, the USA, Canada, Japan, and Hong Kong. g.tec produces high-quality neurotechnology and real-time brain computer interfaces for the research, medical and consumer market. The company is active in many international research projects about brain-computer interfacing, neuromodulation, stroke rehabilitation, assessment and communication with patients with disorders of consciousness, and high-gamma mapping in epilepsy and tumor patients. |
Catie Chang, Vanderbilt University, USA
Multimodal functional imaging of human brain dynamics
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Catie Chang is the Sally and Dave Hopkins Faculty Fellow and Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science at Vanderbilt University. Her research group, the Neuroimaging and Brain Dynamics Lab, develops computational approaches for investigating human brain dynamics in health and disease. Prior to joining Vanderbilt University, she was a Research Fellow at the NIH and received her Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University. |
Bratislav Misic, McGill University, Canada
Integrating and Interpreting Brain Maps
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Bratislav Misic is an associate professor at the Montreal Neurological Institute at McGill University. He completed his undergraduate degree in Neuroscience and Mathematics at the University of Toronto. He trained with Randy McIntosh at the University of Toronto (Ph.D.) and with Olaf Sporns at Indiana University (postdoc). At the Montreal Neurological Institute, he leads the Network Neuroscience Lab (https://netneurolab.github.io). He studies how global dynamics, cognitive operations and complex behaviour emerge from the connections and interactions among distributed brain areas. He uses multimodal neuroimaging (MRI, M/EEG, PET) to map and model patterns of neural connectivity. His group pursues several research themes, from modeling communication processes on anatomical networks, to statistical models of network architecture and disease propagation. |
Stefanie Blain-Moreas, McGill University, Canada
What do complexity, entropy and criticality of the human electroencephalogram reveal about states of consciousness?
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Stefanie Blain-Moraes is a biomedical engineer, an Associate Professor in the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy at McGill University, and the Canada Research Chair in Consciousness and Personhood Technologies. She leads the Biosignal Interaction and Personhood Technology Lab, which aims to develop technologies to assess consciousness and sustain relationships with minimally communicative persons. Her work has been recognized by numerous awards, including the Principal’s Prize for Outstanding Emerging Researcher and membership in the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists in the Royal Society of Canada. |
Dean Krusienski, Virginia Commonwealth University, USA
Analysis of Local Field Potentials for Neurological Disorders
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Dean Krusienski is a Professor and Graduate Program Director of Biomedical Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, where he also directs the Advanced Signal Processing in Engineering and Neuroscience (ASPEN) Laboratory. He received the B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA and conducted postdoctoral research at the Brain-Computer Interfaces Laboratory of the New York State Department of Health. He has co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications related to advancing brain-computer interface and neural signal analysis techniques, which have collectively received over 12,000 citations. His lab’s work has been funded by NSF, NIH, NASA/NIA and DoD, including current projects on intracranial speech decoding and synthesis; closed-loop DBS; EEG biomarkers of hippocampal and sleep pathologies; user-state estimation; visual, auditory, and memory processing; and virtual reality applications. |
Armin Iraji, Georgia State University, USA
Mapping Spatial and Temporal Dynamics for Brain Discovery and Clinical Insight
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Armin Iraji is an Assistant Professor at Georgia State University, with joint appointments in the Departments of Computer Science, Neuroscience, and the TReNDS Center. His research lies at the intersection of biomedical imaging, artificial intelligence, and neuroscience. He develops computational methods to analyze brain activity and connectivity, aiming to construct comprehensive maps of brain dynamics in both health and disease. His work spans both unimodal and multimodal neuroimaging, with a focus on modeling complex patterns in neurobiological data. Dr. Iraji’s research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, including current projects on sex-specific psychosis biotypes and data-driven neurobiological and genomic markers for early risk detection. |
Randy McIntosh, Simon Fraser University, Canada
Translating Brain Network Simulations into Clinical Insight with The Virtual Brain
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Randy McIntosh is a neuroscientist with a PhD in psychology and neuroscience, specializing in brain network modeling and computational approaches to aging and cognition. He co-developed The Virtual Brain, a global platform for personalized brain simulations. Now based at Simon Fraser University, he directs the Institute for Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, where his work focuses on integrating brain modeling into clinical workflows and building accessible, cloud-based tools for research and education. |
Roger Tam, University of British Columbia, Canada
Practical considerations for applying machine learning to brain MRIs
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Roger Tam obtained his Ph.D. in computer science in 2004 from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in the research areas of computational geometry, shape modelling, and visualization. He joined the UBC Department of Radiology as a faculty member in 2007. In 2018, he became a founding member of the UBC School of Biomedical Engineering, which has been his home department since 2022. His main research focus is the development of machine learning methods for analyzing health data, particularly medical images, with application to a range of clinical domains, including neurodegeneration, atrial fibrillation and heart failure, obstructive lung disease, and healthy aging. |
Alyosha Molnar, Cornell University, USA
Chip-scale Wireless Neural Implants: How Small Can We Go?
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Professor Alyosha Molnar has been working in micro-electronics design for more than 25 years, both in industry and in academia. This has involved work in a variety of low power applications, as well as in wireless and imaging applications. He has also been working in neuroscience since graduate school, where he spent 4 years in a retinal neurophysiology lab, patch-clamping mammalian retinal cells (especially bipolar cells and amacrine cells) to work out the various feed-forward and feedback circuits that shape computation in the inner retina. Since joining Cornell in 2007 his lab has focused in microsystems for a variety of applications, including 3-D imaging, wireless communication, and neural interfaces. Molnar is the Ilda and Charles Lee Professor of Engineering at Cornell, and is the recipient of the NSF CAREER Award, the DARPA YFA, ISSCC’s Lewis Winner award, and The Darlington Best Paper Award, along with various other research and teaching awards. |
Dr. Ritchie Chen, University of California, San Francisco
Mapping latent states via multimodal neural-behavioral phenotyping
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Dr. Ritchie Chen is an Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery and of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco. He received his BS from the UC Berkeley and his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT. He then conducted postdoctoral research with Dr. Karl Deisseroth at Stanford University. Dr. Chen’s research group integrates bioengineering and systems neuroscience to develop neurotechnologies for mapping and controlling neural circuits with cell-type specificity. These tools are used to investigate brain function and guide new therapeutic strategies for neurological disorders. |
Judy Illes, University of British Columbia, Canada
Ethics and Standards for Neurotechnology Panel
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Dr. Illes is Professor of Neurology at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Distinguished University Scholar, UBC Distinguished Scholar in Neuroethics, and Director of Neuroethics Canada. She holds appointments in UBC’s School of Population and Public Health, and in Journalism, and in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington, in Seattle. She is a pioneer of the field of neuroethics through which she has made groundbreaking contributions to ethical, legal, social and policy challenges at the intersection of the brain sciences and biomedical ethics. Dr. Illes received her PhD in Hearing and Speech Sciences and in Neuropsychology from Stanford University in 1987, and turned to ethics in 2000, 25 years ago. She was among the first to use high density EEG recordings and pattern recognition to understand language processing in neurodegenerative disease and was part of the revolution that functional MRI introduced. Together with a vision for ethics for neuroscience led from within the neurosciences, Dr. Illes has not only placed neuroethics on the world map but has tirelessly trained the generation that leads it today, and already those who will lead it tomorrow. With her expertise in both neurosciences and ethics, Dr. Illes has served in major leadership positions, including the first group that formed the USA Forum on Neurological Sciences at the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine where the term connectome was coined. She was the academic lead of the working group convened by Health Canada on neurotechnology ethics, in response to OECD’s principles established in 2018 which she helped to draft, is Canada’s delegate to UNESCO today on this subject, and she has served as an expert advisor to the World Health Organization and Amnesty International. Dr. Illes was awarded the Order of Canada, the country’s highest recognition of its citizens, in 2017. |
Sara Berger, IBM Director, Notre Dame-IBM Tech Ethics Lab, USA
Ethics and Standards for Neurotechnology Panel
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Dr. Sara E. Berger is a Senior Research Scientist at IBM Research, IBM AI Ethics Board Focal Point, and Director of the Notre Dame–IBM Tech Ethics Lab. She holds a BA in neuroscience and gender studies from Macalester College and a PhD in systems and cognitive neuroscience from Northwestern University, with additional training in medical humanities and bioethics. Dr. Berger began her career in pain neuroscience, spending over 15 years studying psychological, neurological, and social factors in pain perception, chronification, and relief. She has applied both qualitative methods and neuro/AI-based technologies to understand pain and predict treatment efficacy. In 2021, she was named one of MIT Tech Review’s 35 Innovators Under 35 for her work applying neuroscience and digital health tools to improve chronic pain care. Her current work focuses on applied technology ethics. At IBM Research, she helps develop practical frameworks, tools, and methods that guide technologists to consider ethical, legal, and societal issues in tech design and deployment. As an ethics focal point and workstream lead for IBM’s AI Ethics Board, she supports bottom-up governance efforts and contributes to shaping responsible research and policy in both neurotechology and agentic AI. As IBM Director of the Notre Dame–IBM Tech Ethics Lab, Dr. Berger co-leads efforts to advance ethical and human-centered approaches to technology innovation and use vis-à-vis supporting interdisciplinary research, public engagement, and actionable strategies across multiple sectors and industries. |
Laura Cabrera, Penn State University, USA
Ethics and Standards for Neurotechnology Panel, Moderator
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Dr. Laura Cabrera is the Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Chair in Neuroethics. She is an Associate Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics, and Philosophy at Penn State University. She is Senior Research Associate at the Rock Ethics Institute, and Associate Director of Neuroethics and Engagement with the Center for Neural Engineering. She is chair of the IEEE- SA P7700 -Recommended Practice for the Responsible Design and Development of Neurotechnologies – Standard Development Group, a member of the IEEE BRAIN Advisory Board, the IEEE TechEthics Advisory Group, and of the International Neuroethics Society (INS) Board of Directors. Dr. Cabrera’s interests focus on the ethical, societal, cultural and policy implications of neurotechnologies and other disruptive technologies. |
Jose L. Contreras-Vidal, University of Houston, USA
Ethics and Standards for Neurotechnology Panel
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Dr. Jose ‘Pepe’ L. Contreras-Vidal is Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Professor, director of the U.S. National Science Foundation Industry-University Cooperative Research Center for Building Reliable Advances and Innovations in Neurotechnology (IUCRC BRAIN) at the University of Houston, and an elected Fellow of the IEEE and AIMBE for his pioneering contributions to development of brain-machine interfaces for controlling wearable exoskeletons for rehabilitation, and for mapping art-evoked brain activity. He led the first comprehensive knowledge integration assessment of the global state of clinical trials of implantable brain-computer interfaces (iBCI) published in Nature Reviews Bioengineering. His work at the nexus of art and science is opening new windows to study the neural basis of human creativity while advancing the understanding of the arts as an active neuromodulator of brain function with applications to the development of personalized arts prescriptions. His art-science team received the Chamber Music America’s 2025 Interdisciplinary Collaboration of the Year for “Meeting of Minds”, which was performed at the United Nations’ 2024 AI for Good” Summit in Geneva, Switzerland. Dr. Contreras-Vidal is a former member of the National Advisory Board for Medical Rehabilitation Research at the U.S. National Institute of Health. His career development in biomedical engineering was highlighted by the journal Science. |
Workshop Speakers
Opening Address, Day 1: Anahita Kyani, Director, Neuroscience, Data Science and Digital Health, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
Opening Address, Day 2: Alain Dagher, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University
Emerging Neurotechnologies
Keynote: Elisa Konofagou, Columbia University, USA
Karen Cheung, University of British Columbia, Canada
Christoph Guger, g.tec medical engineering GmbH, Austria
Alyosha Molnar, Cornell University, USA
Ritchie Chen, UCSF, USA
Machine Learning and Computer Paradigms for Brain Discovery
Keynote: Tülay Adali, University of Maryland, BC, USA
Catie Chang, Vanderbilt University, USA
Bratislav Misic, McGill University, Canada
Armin Iraji, Georgia State University, USA
Roger Tam, University of British Columbia, Canada
Clinical Applications and Impact
Keynote: Peter Konrad, Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, West Virginia University, USA
Stefanie Blain-Moreas, McGill University, Canada
Dean Krusienski, Virginia Commonwealth University, USA
Randy McIntosh, Simon Fraser University, Canada
Clinical Challenges and Technology Needs Panel
Moderator: Martin McKeown, University of British Columbia, Canada
Vesna Sossi, University of British Columbia, Canada
Alain Dagher, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Canada
Stefan Lang, Division of Neurosurgery, University of British Columbia, Canada
Julie Robillard, University of British Columbia, Canada
Laura Cabrera, Penn State University, USA
Jose L. Contreras-Vidal, University of Houston, USA
Ethics and Standards for Neurotechnology Panel
Moderator: Laura Cabrera, Penn State University, USA
Jose L. Contreras-Vidal, University of Houston, USA
Judy Illes, University of British Columbia, Canada
Sara Berger, IBM Director, Notre Dame-IBM Tech Ethics Lab, USA
The Future of Brain Research and Neurotechnology Innovation Panel
Moderator: Ljiljana Trajkovic, IEEE Brain 2025 Chair
Kathleen Kramer, IEEE President
Vesna Sossi, IEEE NPSS Past-President
Tülay Adali, IEEE SPS, 2023 IEEE Brain Chair
Metin Akay, IEEE EMBS, 2024 IEEE Brain Chair
Anahita Kyani, IEEE EMBS Women in Engineering Chair
Maria Palombini, Director, Healthcare and Life Sciences Global Practice Lead, IEEE Standards Association
Milin Zhang, IEEE SSCS Representative
Tiago Falk, IEEE SMC Representative
Keshab Parhi, IEEE CASS Representative
Ravi Hadimani, IEEE Magnetics Society Representative
Location
Simon Fraser University
Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue
580 W. Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC, Canada
IEEE Brain 2025 Workshop Program
IEEE Brain 2025 Workshop Accepted Poster List
Program Outline
Day 1: Friday, September 12, 8:00am – 8:00pm
Doors and Registration Open at 7:30am
| 8:00 | Welcome and Opening Remarks Vesna Sossi, University of British Columbia Ljiljana Trajkovic, Simon Fraser University |
| 8:15 | Opening Address: Anahita Kyani, Neuroscience, Data Science and Digital Health, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine |
| 9:00 – 12:00 | Track 1: Emerging Neurotechnologies |
| 9:00 | Keynote Speaker: Elisa Konofagou, Columbia University |
| 9:50 | Karen Cheung, University of British Columbia |
| 10:10 | Christoph Guger, g.tec |
| 10:30 | Break |
| 10:50 | Alyosha Molnar, Cornell University |
| 11:10 | Ritchie Chen, UCSF |
| 11:30 | Track 1 Speakers Q&A |
| 12:00 – 12:30 | Lunch (provided) |
| 12:30 – 2:00 | Panel: Ethics and Standards for Neurotechnology Moderator: Laura Cabrera, Penn State University |
| 2:00 – 5:00 | Track 2: Machine Learning and Computer Paradigms for Brain Discovery |
| 2:00 | Keynote Speaker: Tülay Adali, University of Maryland, BC |
| 2:45 | Catie Chang, Vanderbilt University |
| 3:05 | Bratislav Misic, McGill University |
| 3:25 | Break |
| 3:45 | Armin Iraji, Georgia State University |
| 4:05 | Roger Tam, University of British Columbia |
| 4:25 | Track 2 Speakers Q&A |
| 5:15 | Evening Address: Kathleen Kramer, IEEE President |
| 5:30 – 7:00 | Panel: The Future of Brain Research and Neurotechnology Innovation Moderator: Ljiljana Trajkovic, Simon Fraser University |
| 7:00 – 8:00 | Reception |
Day 2: Saturday, September 13, 8:00am – 6:00pm
Doors and Registration Open at 7:30am
| 8:00 | Welcome to Day 2 |
| 8:15 | Opening Address: Alain Dagher, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University |
| 9:00 – 12:00 | Track 3: Clinical Applications and Impact |
| 9:00 | Keynote Speaker: Peter Konrad, Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, West Virginia University |
| 9:50 | Stefanie Blain-Moreas, McGill University |
| 10:10 | Break |
| 10:30 | Dean Krusienski, Virginia Commonwealth University |
| 10:50 | Randy McIntosh, Simon Fraser University |
| 11:10 | Track 3 Speakers Q&A |
| 11:45 – 12:30 | Poster Session & Live Demonstration Introductions |
| 12:30 – 1:00 | Lunch (provided) |
| 1:00 – 2:30 | Poster Session & Live Demonstrations |
| 2:30 – 2:45 | Break |
| 2:45–4:15 | Panel: Clinical Challenges and Technology Needs Moderator: Martin McKeown, University of British Columbia
|
| 4:15 – 5:15 | Light Reception |
| 5:15 | Best Poster and Live Demonstration Awards |
| 5:45 | Closing Remarks |
All times are Pacific Time.
We invite participants of the 2025 IEEE Brain Discovery and Neurotechnology Workshop to contribute interactive poster presentations and live demonstrations. Posters enable you to present your current research to experts and receive valuable feedback, while live demonstrations allow presentation of a device or concept in addition to the poster. These sessions encourage networking and discussion among peers and offer the possibility of forming new collaborations.
The Workshop will take place September 12-13, 2025 at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada. Poster presentations and live demonstrations will be scheduled on both days. At least one author of the accepted submission will be required to register for the Workshop and to present a one-minute introductory slide prior to their scheduled session. Posters and live demonstrations by students (undergraduate and graduate) and post-docs as first authors will be considered for the Best Poster and Best Demonstration Awards. Limited travel awards are also available to provide support for presenting students to attend the workshop.
Please use this FORM to submit your abstract.
Early submissions due June 30. Call for abstracts open until August 1, 2025.
Submission responses will be sent by Friday, August 15.
Registration Now Open – Early Bird Rate through September 1, 2025
Register Here: https://cvent.me/VMXw00
Groundbreaking solutions with the potential to improve quality of life and address neural disorders require an integrated approach among stakeholders. The goal of this workshop is to bring the engineering, clinical, and neuroscience communities together to focus on collaborative opportunities. Program highlights include plenary keynotes; symposiums on emerging neurotechnologies, machine learning and computer paradigms for brain discovery, clinical applications; panels; posters; live demonstrations; exhibits. Registration fees include the two-day workshop activities, breaks, lunch, and receptions.
Register Here: https://cvent.me/VMXw00
Dates & Location
September 12-13, 2025
Simon Fraser University
Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue
580 W. Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Registration Fees (All fees are USD)
| Early Rates (through September 1) | |
| IEEE Member: $250 | IEEE Student: $50 |
| Non-Member: $300 | Non-Member Student: $75 |
| Regular Rates (September 2 – 13) | |
| IEEE Member: $275 | IEEE Student: $50 |
| Non-Member: $325 | Non-Member Student: $75 |
Sponsorship
IEEE Brain invites company and university exhibitors and sponsors to participate in the
workshop. More information on sponsorship and exhibits will be available soon.
Save the Date!
November 11-13, 2026
Washington DC, USA
More info to come…
