Science Corporation Appoints Yale Neurosurgery Chair to Lead Brain-Computer Interface Trial
Dr. Murat Günel, Chair of Yale Medical School's Department of Neurosurgery, has been appointed as a scientific adviser to neurotechnology startup Science Corporation. His role will be to lead preparations for the first planned U.S. human trials of the company's biohybrid brain-computer interface sensor.
The company, founded in 2021, recently completed a $230 million Series C fundraising round, which valued it at $1.5 billion.
Company Background and Vision
Science Corporation was founded by Max Hodak, former president of the brain-computer interface company Neuralink. According to the company's co-founder, its long-term goal is to create communication links between computers and the human brain for treating disease and exploring human enhancement.
The company's most advanced product is a visual prosthesis called PRIMA, a device designed to restore vision in people with blindness caused by macular degeneration. Science Corporation acquired this technology in 2024 and is advancing it through clinical trials.
The Biohybrid Approach
The company's research focuses on a "biohybrid" system, an approach that differs from some existing neural interfaces. Unlike devices that insert electrodes directly into brain tissue, Science Corporation's sensor is designed to be implanted inside the skull but rest on top of the brain's surface.
- The sensor for the initial human trial contains 520 recording electrodes in an area the size of a pea.
- The long-term goal is to develop a device embedded with lab-grown neurons, which the company states are designed to integrate with a patient's own neurons to form a biological interface.
Dr. Günel stated that conventional metal probes or electrodes can cause brain damage that may undermine device performance over time, which informed the company's pursuit of this alternative approach.
The development of the biohybrid sensor is led by the company's co-founder and Chief Science Officer, Alan Mardinly, with a team of 30 researchers. A 2024 working paper from the company showed a related device could be safely implanted in mice and used to stimulate brain activity.
Planned Human Trial Protocol
The first planned human trial will test a sensor without the embedded lab-grown neurons. Key aspects of the trial plan include:
- Patient Recruitment: The team plans to recruit patient candidates who already require significant brain surgery for an unrelated condition, such as stroke victims needing a piece of their cranium removed to reduce swelling.
- Procedure: In such cases, Dr. Günel would place the sensor on the surface of the brain's cortex to evaluate its safety and efficacy in measuring brain activity.
- Regulatory Stance: The company states it does not plan to seek U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for these initial trials, arguing the device poses no significant risk.
- Timeline: Dr. Günel stated it would be "optimistic" to expect these human trials to begin in 2027. He is in discussion with medical ethics boards overseeing human subject experiments.
Cited Potential Applications
Dr. Günel has stated that if successful, the device could potentially help address multiple neurological conditions. He cited several possible applications:
- Early-stage uses: Delivering gentle electrical stimulation to damaged brain or spinal cord cells to encourage healing, or monitoring neurological activity in patients with brain tumors to provide warnings about oncoming seizures.
- Future applications: A more complex, fully realized biohybrid system might provide treatments for conditions like Parkinson's disease. Dr. Günel suggested such a system could combine electronic components with transplanted cells to protect neural circuits, which he stated might potentially stop disease progression. He noted that current treatments for Parkinson's, including deep brain stimulation, have not been proven to reliably stop the disease from advancing.
Context and Statements
Other organizations, including Neuralink, have developed electronic sensors that detect brain activity, enabling patients with conditions like ALS to control computers.
Dr. Günel described the core concept of Science Corporation's approach, stating: "The idea of using natural connections through neurons and creating a biological interface between the electronics and the human brain is genius."