We have developed wireless sub-cellular sized brain implants that can modulate brain activity with unprecedented spatial (micrometer) and temporal (millisecond) resolution. This technology has the capabilities to enable localized stimulation of multiple sites in the brain simultaneously to engage large scale brain circuits that are associated with brain diseases. For this technology, the National Institute of Health has awarded us the NIH Director's New Innovator Award with a perfect and rarely achieved impact score. We achieved an impact score of “10”—the highest score possible. We are configuring these devices for radical treatment for neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease as well as for neuropathic pain. We have established rodent models for these diseases in our lab which replicate human disease phenotype. Our technology shows promise in enabling early-stage intervention for treating and preventing these brain diseases. We received the MIND Prize (Maximizing innovation in Neuroscience Discovery) for this work, which was featured by New York Times and Nature Neuroscience.

Relevant talks

Deblina Sarkar, "Curing the Incurable: Radical Therapeutics for Neurodegenerative Diseases to Refractory Cancer", MIT Future Therapeutics Workshop, October 2023

Deblina Sarkar presented the NCB group research overview at the MIT Media Lab Members' Week, October 2023

Deblina Sarkar, "Transcending humans beyond diseases and biological limitations", MIT Future Worlds Workshop, October 2023

Deblina Sarkar, “Women's Health: Novel Treatment for Alzheimer's Disease to Breast Cancer Brain Metastases”, MIT Women’s health Innovation forum, October 2023

Deblina Sarkar, "Seamless fusion: Transcending humans beyond biological limitations" TEDxBoston, May, 2023