8:00 am
Arrival, Registration & Breakfast
Speaker information available on arrival.
NeuroTech Harbor
2023 MedTech Nexus
NEXUS of Medical Technology Development · November 16, 2023 · Johns Hopkins University & Howard University
NeuroTech Harbor convened leaders from academia, government, industry, and patient communities for a full-day program on medical technology and neurotechnology development. Hosted at Johns Hopkins University's new Washington, DC headquarters—opened in August 2023—the event highlighted the university's $120 million NIH NeuroTech Harbor award and a partnership between Johns Hopkins and Howard University. Adler Archer, JD, then Director of Outreach Strategy for NeuroTech Harbor (2022–2024), helped lead outward-facing engagement for the consortium.
NIH leaders, clinical experts, policy specialists, and innovators examined medtech development across epilepsy, substance use disorder, and inclusive innovation—connecting research translation, commercialization pathways, and training the next generation of neurotechnology entrepreneurs.
Agenda
8:25 am
Welcome from Dr. Sri Sarma
Sri Sarma, PhD — Vice Dean for Graduate Education & Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
8:30 am
Opening Message from Dr. Bruce J. Tromberg
Bruce J. Tromberg, PhD — Director, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), NIH
9:00 am
Challenges and Opportunities in Medtech Development in Epilepsy
Moderator: Nitish Thakor, PhD
Panelists: Steven Schachter, MD (Clinical Expert); Sri Sarma, PhD (Neurotech Expert); Brandy Fureman, PhD (Policy Expert); Christina Demur (Commercialization Expert)
10:00 am
Coffee Break
10:15 am
Challenges and Opportunities in Medtech Development for Substance Use Disorder
Moderator: Paolo Bonato, PhD
Panelists: Kelly Dunn, PhD (Clinical Expert); Leonardo Angelone, PhD (Policy Expert); Travis Rieder, PhD (Ethics Expert); Michael Hite, BMA (Neurotech Expert); Shel Mann (Neurotech Expert); Dan Harper (Patient Experience); Bernice Martin Lee (Patient Expert)
11:15 am
TBD
12:00 pm
Building a MedTech Harbor
Moderator: Bob Storey
Panelists: Christy Wyskiel (MedTech Expert); Francesco Tenore (Applied Physics Expert); Samantha Tabone (Venture Expert); Ralph Etienne-Cummings, PhD (MedTech Expert); Evaristus Nwulia, MD (Clinical and Neurotech Expert)
Catered lunch served during the panel.
1:00 pm
NeuroTech Harbor (NTH) and Center for Innovative NeuroTech Advancement (CINTA) Overviews
Youseph Yazdi, PhD and Penny Ford Carleton
Youseph Yazdi
1:30 pm
Seedlings: Providing Additional Support for Early-Stage Neurotech Innovators
Santosh Venkatesha, MBA and Evaristus Nwulia, MD
2:00 pm
Lightning Talks from NTH and CINTA Innovators
Moderator: Santosh Venkatesha, MBA
3:00 pm
Pathways: Training Future Neurotechnology Innovators
Kebreten Manaye, MD
3:30 pm
Fireside Chat on Neurotech Innovation
Moderator: Eric Grigsby, MD (Founder, Neurovations)
4:00 pm
Coffee Break
4:15 pm
Inclusive Innovation in Medtech
Moderator: Linda Durnell, PhD
Panelists: Adler Archer, JD (Director of Outreach Strategy, NeuroTech Harbor, 2022–2024); Kory Bailey (Ecosystem Expert); Amy Hauser, PhD (Human Optimization Expert)
Adler Archer
5:00 pm
Closing Remarks
Moderator: Sri Sarma, PhD
Ed Schlesinger, PhD — Dean, Johns Hopkins
Whiting School of Engineering
James B. Steinberg, PhD — 10th Dean, Johns
Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies
Anthony K. Wutoh, PhD, RPh — Provost &
Chief Academic Officer, Howard University
Partners
Presented by NeuroTech Harbor · Johns Hopkins University · Howard University
