Engineering Health: Dr. Khalil Ramadi's Vision of Bioengineering and Neuromodulation

RealPharma: Conversations with Pharma Pathfinders

Dr. Khalil Ramadi, an assistant professor at New York University Abu Dhabi, discusses the field of bioengineering and his work in neuromodulation and ingestible electronics. He explains that bioengineering encompasses tinkering with biology and physiology, and its focus has shifted from building hardware tools for the clinic to devices that can be implanted in the body.

Dr. Ramadi's interest in neuromodulation stems from the need to improve brain technologies and find non-invasive ways to target specific areas of the body. He also explores the potential applications of neuromodulation in areas such as obesity, eating disorders, and diabetes. The challenges in bioengineering include regulatory issues, access to innovations, and the scalability of devices. In this conversation, Khalil Ramadi discusses the field of bioengineering and its potential impact on healthcare. He shares insights on the future of bioengineering education, emphasizing the need for innovation and commercialization.

Khalil also predicts advancements in personalized care and the potential for new technologies to diagnose and treat diseases. He highlights the importance of finding inspiration and overcoming challenges in the field. Lastly, he introduces Project Prana Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on developing technologies for decentralized care.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Dr. Khalil Ramadi

03:47 Defining Bioengineering

06:33 Dr. Ramadi's Journey into Bioengineering

10:30 The Role of a Bioengineer

11:56 Focus on Neuromodulation and Ingestible Electronics

16:41 The Gut-Brain Connection

17:26 Applications of Neuromodulation

20:38 Neuralink and the Future of Bioengineering

25:05 Neuromodulation and GLP-1 Agonists

29:27 Challenges in Bioengineering

33:33 The Future of Pharma and Bioengineering

36:18 Ensuring Access to Bioengineering Innovations

40:20 The FLASH Pill and Appetite Stimulation

47:02 The Future of Bioengineering Education

51:10 Predictions for the Next 10 Years

55:00 Finding Inspiration and Overcoming Challenges

58:31 Project Prana Foundation

Resources

Dr. Khalil Ramadi:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/khalil-ramadi/

Ramadi Lab:

RamadiLab.com

Ingestible electronics: Science Robotics paper for gastric stimulation: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.ade9676

Project Prana: https://www.projectprana.org/isave

Nano Robots Shrink Bladder Cancer:

https://www.irbbarcelona.org/en/news/scientific/nanorobots-shrink-bladder-tumours-90

Light Powered Yeast:

https://www.science.org/content/article/scientists-engineer-first-light-powered-yeast

DNA Detection Advances:

https://scitechdaily.com/rapid-disease-diagnosis-bioengineering-breakthrough-boosts-dna-detection-sensitivity-by-100x/