Join the CQB for our seminar series, featuring our second guest speaker of the semester: Dr. Shriya S. Srinivasan
Dr. Shriya Srinivasan is an assistant professor of bioengineering at Harvard University where she directs the Harvard Biohybrid Organs and Neuroprosthetics (BIONICS) lab. The lab focuses on the development of surgical reconstruction techniques in consort with bidirectional neural implants for improved sensorimotor control.
Shriya graduated from Case Western Reserve University with a BS in biomedical engineering, with a concentration in biomaterials. She then received her doctoral degree in medical engineering and medical physics through the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology program in January 2020. Her doctoral research focused on the development of novel neural interfaces utilizing tissue engineering to better interface human limbs with prostheses, in the context of amputation and paralysis. She developed the Regenerative Agonist-antagonist Myoneural Interface (AMI) that enables patients to control their prosthesis with native neural signals. She also explored optogenetic techniques to create novel strategies to accelerate and improve neural control.
As a junior fellow at the Harvard Society of Fellows and Schmidt Science Fellow, Shriya worked in the labs of Dr. Giovanni Traverso and Dr. Robert Langer, designing ingestible bioelectronics for gastrointestinal neuromodulation.
Shriya has been awarded the Delsys Prize, the Lemelson-MIT Student Prize for her innovative work, and recognized by Forbes and the MIT Technology Review as one of 30 innovators under 30.
Shriya was a former director of MIT Hacking Medicine, where she led educational and programmatic initiatives for design thinking education and medtech innovation – interfacing with various governmental and corporate entities. She also founded Project Prana, a nonprofit devoted to affordable medical technology innovation- which commercialized a ventilator multiplexer to market during the pandemic. In her spare time, Shriya performs Indian classical dance with the Anubhava Dance Company.
Abstract:
The gut-brain axis is an exciting frontier in science. This complex communication network influences everything from mood and cognition to immune responses, emphasizing our gut’s key role in overall health. For many, diseases like gastroparesis and ileus disrupt the normal digestive process, leading to debilitating symptoms and impacting quality of life. These conditions hamper the natural rhythm of the gut, affecting the body’s energy balance and comfort.
Innovative neural interfaces are reshaping treatment by seamlessly interacting with the gut’s nervous system. These devices use precise electrical and mechanostimulation to engage with specific neural pathways, restoring digestive movements and optimizing organ function. By stimulating the nerves of the GI tract, they can restart peristalsis and even simulate sensations like fullness to modulate hunger and satiety. Explore the design of ingestible neural interfaces to sense, monitor, and treat the gut.
