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
