NETP Seminar Series Talk: April 24, 2025

Maryam Shanechi, Ph.D.
Alexander A. Sawchuk Endowed Chair and Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science, and Biomedical Engineering and Founding Director of the Center for Neurotechnology, University of Southern California
April 24th 2025 @ 9:00 a.m.
Research Auditorium, NCRB Building 10 and Zoom
Speaker Bio
Maryam M. Shanechi is the Alexander A. Sawchuk Endowed Chair and Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science, and Biomedical Engineering, and the Founding Director of the Center for Neurotechnology at USC. She received her B.A.Sc. degree in Engineering Science from the University of Toronto and her S.M. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT. She conducts research at the intersection of engineering, AI, and neuroscience to develop closed-loop neurotechnology. Awards include the NIH Director’s New Innovator, NSF CAREER, ONR Young Investigator, ASEE’s Curtis W. McGraw Research Award, MIT TR35, Popular Science Brilliant 10, Science News SN10, One Mind Rising Star Award, and a DoD MURI. She is a fellow of IEEE and AIMBE and a two-time Blavatnik National Awards Finalist.
Talk Abstract
Title: AI-driven neurotechnology
I will present our work at the interface of AI/ML and neuroscience to develop next-generation brain-computer interfaces that can model, decode, and modulate the activity of large populations of neurons in brain disorders such as major depression. First, I present a dynamical modeling framework that can decode brain states such as mood from human brain network activity. Then, I show how we can also predict the effect of external inputs, such as electrical stimulation, on brain network activity toward closed-loop modulation of neural states. I also develop a novel dynamical modeling framework to jointly describe neural-behavioral data and dissociate behaviorally relevant neural dynamics. I then extend these models to admit multiple neural modalities and enable multimodal fusion. Finally, I discuss the challenge of developing AI algorithms for real-time neurotechnology. I will present a framework that combines neural networks with stochastic state-space models to enable accurate yet flexible inference of brain states causally, non-causally, and even with missing neural samples. These AI-based neurotechnologies can help restore lost motor and emotional function in millions of patients with brain disorders.
Upcoming Events
DATE |
SPEAKER |
TOPIC |
Notes |
7/24/2025 | NETP Symposium | TBA |
Past Events
2024-2025 Academic Year
DATE |
SPEAKER |
TOPIC |
Notes |
2/6/2025 | Jeffrey Herron, Ph.D. | Assistant Professor in Neurological Surgery, University of Washington – Research Talk | NCRC B10 |
1/16/2025 | Riki Banerjee, Ph.D. | CTO of Synchron – Career Talk | NCRC B10 |
11/07/2024 | Erik Douglas, Ph.D. | Biomedical Technologies Entrepreneur – Career Talk | NCRC B10 ARC2 |
10/03/2024 | Giacomo Valle, Ph.D. | Professor in Bionics, University of Chalmers – Research Talk | NCRC 10 South Atrium |
09/19/2024 | Bo Duan, Ph.D. | Umich, MCDB – Research Talk | NCRC B10 ARC2 |
2023-2024 Academic Year
DATE |
SPEAKER |
TOPIC |
Notes |
04/18/2024 | Christine Grienberger, Ph.D. | Brandeis University – Research Talk | NCRC B10 ARC2 |
03/07/2024 | Cameron McIntyre, Ph.D. | Duke University – Research & Career Talk | NCRC B10 ARC2 |
02/15/2024 | Aysegul Gunduz, Ph.D. | University of Florida – Research Talk | NCRC B10 ARC2 |
12/14/2023 | Karlo Malaga, Ph.D. | Bucknell University- Research Talk | NCRC B10 ARC2 |
11/09/2023 | Mladen Barbic, Ph.D. | HHMI/NYU Langone Health – Research Talk | NCRC B10 ARC2 |
10/19/2023 | Joanna Mattis, M.D., Ph.D. | Research Talk | NCRC B10 ARC2 |
09/14/2023 | Wei Tong, Ph.D. | Research Talk | NCRC B10 ARC2 |
2022-2023 Academic Year
DATE |
SPEAKER |
TOPIC |
Notes |
5/15/2023 | Neural Engineering Symposium | Keynote: Jen French, Neurotech Development and Community Engagement Neurotech Network Co-Founder and Principal Consultant | Palmer Commons |
4/6/2023 | Nanthia Suthana, PhD. | UCLA – Research Talk | 9:00 AM NCRC B10 ARC2 |
2/27/2023 – 3/2/2023 | Multiple | NETP Commercialization Workshop | Details |
3/30/2023 | Matt McMahon, PhD. | NIH – Career Talk | 9:00 AM NCRC B10 ARC2 |
2/2/2023 | Layla Houshmand, PhD. | McKinsey/Boston Scientific – Career Talk | 9:00 AM NCRC B10 ARC2 |
1/19/2023 | Sharanya Desai, PhD. | Neuropace – Career Talk | 9:00 AM NCRC B10 ARC2 |
12/1/2022 | John Terry, PhD. | Neuronostics- Research and Career Talk | 9:00 AM NCRC B10 ARC2 |
10/21/2022 | Lee Fisher, PhD | Lunch Chat with Graduate Students | NCRC ACR2 |
10/20/2022 | Lee Fisher, PhD | Spinal cord stimulation to restore sensation and reduce phantom limb pain after limb amputation | EECS Room 1500 |
10/3/2022 | Elliott Rouse, PhD. | Neurobionics Lab: Approaches to the design and control of lower-limb exoskeletons and prostheses |
NCRC Building 10 G063/064 Hybrid |
2021-2022 Academic Year
DATE |
SPEAKER |
TOPIC |
Notes |
5/20/2022 | Neural Engineering Symposium | Keynote: Dr. Brian Litt, Penn Medicine, Director, Penn Epilepsy Center; Professor of Neurology, Bioengineering; Neurosurgery | Palmer Commons |
4/7/2022 | Charles H. Hubscher, PhD Prof and Chair. Anatomical Sciences & Neurobiology, University of Louisville | Understanding the circuitries and neural mechanisms underlying urinary, bowel and sexual functions | In Person |
2/10/2022 | Vivek Pinto, PhD Director, Division of Neuromodulation and Physical Medicine Devices at FDA | Understanding the circuitries and neural mechanisms underlying urinary, bowel and sexual functions | Virtua |
1/20/2022 | Kip Ludwig, PhD Assoc. Professor BME and Adj. Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin | Bioelectric Medicines, clinical neuromodulation therapies Career Talk follows | Virtual |
12/9/2021 | Jen Collinger, PhD, Assoc. Professor, Physical Medicine and Rehab, University of Pittsburgh | Neuroprosthetics for Upper Body and developing intracortical brain-computer interface technology | Virtual |
12/7/2021 | Mihaly Voroslakos, PhD, Research Fellow, Neuroscience Inst., NYU | Transcranial Electrical Stimulation (TES), neuromodulation research in rats and humans | Live, Johnson Rooms, Virtual |
11/11/2021 | Erika Ross, PhD, Director, Applied Research, Abbott Neuromodulation | Non-invasive neuro-modulation solutions for treating essential tremors | Journal Club NCRC B10-ACR2 |
11/9/2021 | Jerrold Vitek, MD, Professor, Dept. Head, Neurology, University of Minnesota | Translational research in neuromodulation therapies (BioInterface Institute Seminar) | Virtual |
10/21/2021 |
Amy L. Orsborn, PhD, Asst. Professor, University of Washington |
Shaping and optimizing learning in brain-machine interfaces |
NCRC Research Auditorium |
8/19/2021 |
Zhongming Liu, PhD, Assoc. Professor, BME, University of Michigan |
Integrated Brain Imaging |
Virtual Event. |
8/12/2021 |
X. Tracy Cui, PhD, Professor, University of Pittsburgh |
Smart biomaterials and neural tissue /biomaterial interface |
Virtual Event. |