May 2025 issue, Neurotech Business Report
May 31, 2025 | Some of the nation’s leading neurotechnology researchers and entrepreneurs took to the stage at the recent SynBioBeta conference in San Jose, CA earlier this month to offer their views on the future of the field and its impact on society as a whole.
A session called “The Neural Frontier: Pioneering Tomorrow’s Brain Technologies” was moderated by Sumner Norman, CEO of Forest Neurotech and featured Max Hodak, founder and CEO of Science Corp., Jean Hebert, program manager for health science futures at ARPA-H, Jeanne Loring, founder of Aspen Neuroscience, optogenetics pioneer Ed Boyden from MIT, and Andrew Paine, founder and CEO of E11 Bio.
In the session, Loring described her work with neural stem cells dating back 20 years, when she worked with pluripotent cells. Hebert updated attendees on advances in cell therapies for treating brain disorders. “I think that reversing brain damage, whether it’s from stroke, neurodegeneration, or aging, is moving science fiction closer to fact,” he said.
Although cell therapies can benefit from brain plasticity, there’s still a lot that needs to be worked out to make the new cells functional, Hebert said. “But we have a blueprint for working those things out, for getting the right types of neurons in the right places, with the right connectivity to process information.” One of the goals with stem cell implantation is to emulate the normal development process.
Hodak described his firm’s work with biohybrid implants. “Instead of adding cells to the brain to regenerate native capability, in our case we’re seeding the cells in a device, then trapping the cell bodies there,” he said. “Those cells project axons and dendrites into the host brain and wire up naturalistically.”
Hodak said that this strategy will enable the company to achieve a much higher density of electrodes compared to surgically implanted leads since the proximity of contacts to neurons enables denser packing.
Hebert estimated that within a decade or less we’ll be able to replace damaged brain cells.
Boyden mentioned the value of simulation as a research tool. “A very intriguing goal is to have biologically accurate computer simulation of the brain,” he said. “You’d be able to look under the hood and see what happens during the generation of a thought or a decision or an emotion.”
The panelists later discussed the implications on identity in an era where brain cells can be replaced. “I think the goal is to preserve ourselves for longer, not to decline cognitively,” Hebert said. “I think there’s a way to apply that philosophy of progressive replacement in a way that works.”
Other sessions at the conference included “Bridging the Gap Between Biotech Innovation and Consumer Acceptance,” “Machine Learning and AI Tools to Guide Engineering of Human Therapeutics,” “Securing the Future: Biosecurity Innovations in Synthetic Biology and Allied Technologies,” and “ Innovation Meets Industry: How Startups Can Collaborate with Big Pharma.”
