2025 Bioelectronic Medicine Forum

New York Academy of Medicine, New York, NY April 10, 2025

Keynote Speaker
Lisa Shafer, Ph.D., Vice President, Product Development, Biogen Lisa Shafer, PhD, serves as Biogen’s Global Head of Product Development and Reg CMC, Medical Devices and Packaging. In this role Dr. Shafer oversees technical packaging design and development, device development and digital integration, lifecycle management, and regulatory engagement and filings, while driving innovation and technology specific to drug delivery and continuously enhancing the overall patient experience. Dr. Shafer brings deep scientific and device expertise in neuro-immunology with more than 25 years of experience across the medical device and pharmaceutical industries, most recently as the Chief Scientific Officer at Cerebral Therapeutics. Prior to Cerebral Therapeutics, she was the Chief Scientific Officer, at an early-stage biopharma company in neurological disorders. Dr. Shafer has also held various positions with increasing technical and leadership responsibilities at Teva Pharmaceuticals, Upsher-Smith Laboratories, and Medtronic. She also has a wealth of experience building and leading high-performing teams with a passion for developing people. Dr. Shafer is a neuroscientist by training with a Ph.D. from Loyola University Chicago in Neuroscience/Neuroimmunology and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Minnesota in Genetics, Cell Biology and Development.
Conference Moderators
James Cavuoto, Editor and Publisher, Neurotech Reports James Cavuoto is editor and publisher of Neurotech Business Report and BioElectRx Business Report and the founder of Neurotech Reports. He is the lead author of "The Market for Neurotechnology," and "The Market for Bioelectronic Medicine," two market research reports published by Neurotech Reports. Cavuoto was the founder of Micro Publishing Press, Inc., a publishing company that helped pioneer the market for electronic publishing, digital imaging, and computer graphics. He holds a degree in biomedical engineering from Case Western Reserve University, where he studied under pioneers in the field of functional electrical stimulation. He has also studied human factors engineering at University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Cavuoto spent three years as a member of the technical staff at Hughes Aircraft Company in Los Angeles, where he worked on simulation, training, and publication products produced for the U.S. Department of Defense. Cavuoto was an adjunct professor at Rochester Institute of Technology and the author of eight books on computer graphics, electronic publishing, and digital imaging. He is a member of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. He has authored a chapter in the textbook Neuromodulation (Elsevier, 2009), as well as articles in Neuromodulation, Journal of Neural Engineering, Medical Device Daily, IEEE Spectrum, MX magazine, and the International Journal of Medical Marketing. He is coauthor, with Jennifer French, of Bionic Pioneers: Brave Neurotech Users Blaze the Trail to New Therapies (Neurotech Press, 2014).
Jeremy Koff, Senior Consulting Editor, Neurotech Reports Mr. Koff is senior consulting editor for Neurotech Reports and president of Colibri Partners Inc., a strategic and marketing consulting firm with a primary focus in the medical device sector. The company offers services related to market and risk analysis, clinical and technology assessments, business plan development, business/financial modeling, and market research. Mr. Koff has nearly 20 years of global experience in the medical device industry with companies including Advanced Bionics Corp., Boston Scientific, MiniMed Inc., Bioness Inc, and many others. His business plans have attracted tens of millions in start-up capital. Mr. Koff holds a Bachelor's degree in biology from Middlebury College, a Masters of Public Affairs from Indiana University, and an MBA from UCLA. He is an active classically-trained musician, supporter of the arts, and is a board member of the Fender Music Foundation.
Jo Jo Platt, Senior Contributing Editor, Neurotech Reports Jo Jo Platt brings more than 10 years experience as a neurotechnology consulant to Neurotech Reports. As the founder and president of Platt & Associates, she has helped leadership identify new opportunities, transform organizations, and build teams from the ground up. Most recently, she was a strategic development consultant for the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, where she helped identify and establish strategic partnerships in the emerging field of bioelectronic medicine and was instrumental in the launch of the Center for Bioelectronic Medicine. Previously, Jo Jo communications director for eDigital, where she managed all internal and external communications and built braand recognition through tradeshows and consumer events. Platt holds a bachelor's degree in communication and media studies from National University. She is currently the finance chair for the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Neural Engineering 2019 meeting.
Victor Pikov, Ph.D., Contributing Editor, BioElectRx Business Report. Victor Pikov is a contributing editor to Neurotech Report's new publication, BioElectRx Business Report and also co-founder and CEO of Medipace Inc, a startup developing implantable neuromodulation therapies for auto-immune intestinal diseases. Victor previously worked at Galvani Bioelectronics and GlaxoSmithKline, where he oversaw development and testing of implantable pulse generators and stimulation leads for several clinical applications, including auto-immune and metabolic diseases. At the Huntington Medical Research Institutes, Victor developed neural interfaces for various chronic diseases, such as infertility, bladder paralysis, bladder spasticity/hyperreflexia, hearing and vision loss, tinnitus, obstructive sleep apnea, and obesity. At the California Institute of Technology, Victor developed optogenetic viral vectors for neuronal stimulation. Victor has several patent applications for implantable neural interfaces, closed-loop neuromodulation therapies, and noninvasive glucose measurement.

Panelists and Presenters
Nandan Lad, M.D., Ph.D., Vice Chair of Innovation, Duke Neurosurgery Nandan Lad, MD, PhD is a neurosurgeon, scientist, and innovator, serving as a Professor of Neurosurgery and Vice Chair of Innovation at Duke Neurosurgery. Dr. Lad leads the Duke Neuromodulation Program with the belief that multidisciplinary approaches are key to enhancing patient outcomes. Working with teams at the forefront of medtech and digital health innovation, Dr. Lad is committed to developing and utilizing cutting-edge technologies to treat pain, movement disorders, and a variety of complex neurological conditions. He believes in a blend of personalized care and advanced technological solutions, aiming to not only alleviate symptoms but also significantly improve quality of life and restore function for his patients.
Ray Cohen, Former CEO, Axonics Inc. Mr. Cohen has served as CEO and member of the board of directors of Axonics since co-founding the company in October 2013. He is an accredited public company director with more than 40 years of experience in leading medical device companies and serving as a board member at a number of private and publicly traded life science companies. From 2010 to 2012, he served as CEO of Vessix Vascular, a venture capital-backed renal denervation company that was acquired by Boston Scientific in November 2012. Previously, Mr. Cohen spent nearly a decade as Chairman and CEO of Nasdaq-listed Cardiac Science Inc., which was ranked as the fourth fastest growing company in the U.S. in 2004. Mr. Cohen currently serves as a Chairman of the board of BioVentrix Inc., a privately-held transcatheter ventricular restoration company focused on treating congestive heart failure patients. From May 2006 to July 2021, Mr. Cohen served on the board of directors at BioLife Solutions, a developer and manufacturer of preservation media for regenerative medicine and for the last 8 years served as Chairman. From June 2013 to April 2020, Cohen served as an independent director, chair of the compensation committee and member of the audit and nominating committees of Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. Mr. Cohen also previously served on the boards of two companies that were successfully sold in 2017: Zurich-based LifeWatch, sold to Biotelemetry, and Colorado-based Syncroness, Inc., a privately held contract engineering firm, sold to ALTEN Group, a multibillion-dollar French engineering services company.
Jeff Chu, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Features Capital. Jeff Chu is a Co-Founder and serves as a Managing Partner at Features Capital. He is a seasoned medical device developer and technologist. He is directly responsible for the creation and development of nascent technologies from ideation through transfer to manufacturing for early-stage and global medical device companies. Over 21 years as CTO and Partner of Simbex, he delivered multiple products to market based on a wide spectrum of technologies in both the medical device and consumer marketplaces, from bench to bedside. His deep experience in software, hardware, and algorithm development coupled with his biomechanical systems expertise helps realize innovative solutions that seamlessly integrate with the consumer. He has served as Principal Investigator on several federally funded research innovation programs from both the NIH and the Department of Defense in the areas of rehabilitation, blast, and impact biomechanics. He has been an active angel and LP investor. He is a Corporator of Mascoma Bank, a Founding Steering Committee Member of the MedTech Collaborative, and a Core Director for the Translational Rehab Engineering Advances and the New England Pediatric Device Consortium. His work has received national recognition from Time Magazine, Sybase, Edison Awards, and Computerworlds. Before Simbex, he worked as an advanced concepts consultant for several companies in the sporting goods industry and taught graduate courses in the areas of clinical biomechanics and computer modeling. He holds 8 patents, with 6 patents pending. He received his BS and MS in Biomechanics from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Mir Imran, Chairman & CEO, InCube Labs Mir Imran founded InCube Labs to focus on his passion: creating medical solutions that change the standard of care in critical healthcare markets. After attending medical school, Mir began his career as a healthcare entrepreneur in the late 1970's and has founded numerous game-changing companies since those early days. Over the decades, he has become one of the leading inventors and entrepreneurs in the field. Mir now holds more than 200 issued patents and is perhaps most well known for his pioneering contributions to the first FDA-approved Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator. As an entrepreneur, Mir has founded more than 20 life sciences companies; 15 of his companies have seen "liquidity events" (IPO/Acquisition). Mir's expertise spans a wide range of clinical areas from interventional cardiology to chronic pain, obesity and CNS disorders. Mir actively collaborates with the nation's top universities on research and development including Stanford, Rutgers, Johns Hopkins, UTSW, etc. Mir also founded InCube Ventures, a life sciences venture fund, where he has led investments in a range of promising ventures. Mir sits on Boards of several life sciences companies. He holds an M.S. in bioengineering and a B.S. in electrical engineering from Rutgers. He also attended CMDNJ/Rutgers Medical School.
Olivier Taelman, CEO, Nyxoah Olivier Taelman is an experienced MedTech leader, joining Nyxoah in July 2019 as Chief Operating and Commercial Officer and subsequently being appointed as CEO in November 2019. Olivier spent seven years in commercial healthcare at Eli Lilly and Sanofi Aventis leading specific business units. He spent 15 years within the field of neuromodulation at Medtronic, managing EMEA at Stryker NeuroVascular and serving a neuromodulation company Nevro where he was responsible for building the European business during the successful NASDAQ IPO.
Entrepreneur Presenters
Charles Nolet, CEO, Synergia Medical Charles Nolet is CEO of Synergia Medical. He has more than a decade of strategic, operational, and financial expertise acquired across global corporations and MedTech startups. Prior to becoming CEO, he was Chief Strategy Officer. He was previously Investment Manager at Lumine Capital Advisors and an Engagement Manager at Mckinsey & Co. He  holds a Master’s in Civil Engineering from the Catholic University of Louvain (Magna Cum Laude) and an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), specializing in MedTech, private equity, and advanced analytics.
Chad Andresesn. Chief Business Officer, LunOSA Chad Andresen is chief business officer for LunOSA, a startup firm pursuing the neuromodulation market for treating sleep disorders. He is an experienced MedTech industry leader with experience ecompassing neuromodulation, leadership development, commercialization growth & strategy, global marketing, public speaking, bioelectrical engineering, software programming, information technology, and compliance & regulatory adherence. Chad is an adjunct professor biomedical engineering at the University of Houston. He was previously vice president of innovation and business Development at Curonix. He earned his bachelor's and masters degree in biomedical engineering from Arizona State University.
Colin Kealey, M.D., CEO, NeuroSigma, Inc. Dr. Kealey is CEO of NeuroSigma Inc. He was previously chief medical officer of NSVascular and also served as director of global medical affairs and corporate projects for NeuroSigma since March 2014. Dr. Kealey joined NeuroSigma in 2011, and previously served as manager of business development. In this role, Dr. Kealey spearheaded the introduction of eTNS to major epilepsy centers throughout the EU and Canada, and interfaced with key opinion leaders in the field to convey the science behind eTNS and how it may fit into their current clinical practice. Dr. Kealey also served as co-principal investigator on two National Institutes of Health grants. In addition, he assisted with the preparation of materials submitted to the FDA, which led to the approval of NeuroSigma's IDE application, and has been a major contributor to the design of a planned pivotal trial of eTNS for epilepsy. Prior to joining NeuroSigma, Dr. Kealey was a resident physician in the UCLA department of surgery from 2007 to 2011. During his time at UCLA, Dr. Kealey was responsible for all aspects of the care of surgical patients, ranging from outpatient procedures to critically ill patients in the intensive care unit. From 2009 to 2011, Dr. Kealey also served as a post-doctoral researcher at the UCLA Center for Advanced Surgical and Interventional Technology, where he performed pre-clinical research and development on novel medical devices. Dr. Kealey earned his B.S. in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and his M.D. from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine.
Yi-Kai Lo, Ph.D., Co-Founder and CEO, ANEUVO Yi-Kai Lo is an entrepreneur, engineer, and scientist who started his career as an integrated circuit designer and then eventually dived deeply into the interdisciplinary field of neuroscience, neuroengineering, and bioelectronic medicine. His objective was to investigate underlying biological mechanisms and then develop and validate relevant new devices and technologies. In 2016, he co-founded Niche Biomedical, now Aneuvo, a company dedicated to developing bioelectronic treatments for diseases and injuries incurable through pharmaceutical agents. As the co-founder and CEO of the company, he has built a team with complementary skills and domain knowledge in hardware/firmware/software engineering, medical device development, clinical and medical science, and FDA regulatory processes. Yi-Kai is excited to be leading a company that develops cutting-edge medical technologies for patients in need to improve their quality of life.