Science Corporation, a startup co-founded by former Neuralink president Max Hodak, has announced that top neurobiologist Dr. Murat Günel will lead the first US human trials for its biohybrid brain-computer interface. The device combines lab-grown neurons with electronics to create a bridge between biology and electronics, allowing for more reliable communication between computers and the human brain.
Günel's goal is to surgically place a sensor into a patient's brain as part of the trial. The sensor will be used to stimulate brain activity without causing damage, unlike traditional methods that use metal probes or electrodes. Science completed a $230 million fundraising round last month, valuing the company at $1.5 billion. Its most advanced product is PRIMA, a device for restoring vision in people with blindness caused by macular degeneration.
The first step in human clinical trials will be testing the sensor without embedded neurons inside a living human brain. The team plans to implant the sensor on top of the cortex during surgeries that already require significant brain surgery, such as stroke victims who need part of their cranium removed. Günel believes the device could help address multiple neurological conditions, including Parkinson's disease, and potentially provide more effective treatments.
The trials are expected to begin in 2027 at the earliest, according to Günel. The company's focus is now on developing prototypes and working out how to grow neuron cells for different therapeutic applications that meet medical standards.
