Host: Science/AAAS Custom Publishing Office
Start Date: Sep 09, 2020
Time: 12:00pm (ET)
Location: Webinar
Description: Neuromodulation describes the process by which neural activity at specific, physiologically relevant locations in the nervous system can be altered using highly targeted, external stimuli. Physical signals—electrical, magnetic, optical, or other—are delivered to the site of interest with the goal of diminishing the negative impacts of particular diseases and ultimately improving the patient’s quality of life. Neuromodulation is a rapidly growing field and has become one of the most important treatments for neurological disorders including pain, Parkinson’s disease, and epilepsy, among others. Neuromodulation is also a promising and rising treatment for mental disorders such as depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. It is critical that the next generation of brain–machine interface technologies not only treats disease, but also addresses the needs of people with disabilities by enhancing the brain’s ability to connect to the world around us. The Science & PINS Prize for Neuromodulation aims to promote innovation in this field by awarding the most creative research in basic and translational neuromodulation. This webinar invites the 2020 prize winners together with the prize cofounder and a preeminent neuromodulation researcher and physician to discuss advances in state-of-the-art technologies in experimental neuromodulation. They will also highlight possible future directions for this field, particularly in light of aging populations across the world.