Andrew Cornwell Discusses The Importance of Translational Research

Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions

Andrew Cornwell is the Director of industrial and strategic collaborations for the Cleveland FES centre. He is also Director of the VA Translational Education Mentoring Centre and Associate Director at Care Coulter Translational partnership. In today’s episode, Andrew talks about the importance of translational research, the process and some of the achievements of the Cleveland FES centre.

Top three takeaways:

1. Translational work is concerned with solving the inefficient of getting Academic work into the clinic.
2. Cleveland FES Centre has a new program called the Neuro Design program, set up to grow the base of entrepreneurial talent in Cleveland with a focus on neurotechnology.
3. Application for the second cohort of the Neuro Design program at Cleveland FES centres is currently open and you can apply to the program at www.clevelandneurodesign.org.

[0:00] Ladan introduces the episode and the guest, Andrew Cornwell

[1:45] ‘I try to spend my time solving the inefficiencies of getting Academic work into the clinic’

[2:30] Why is translational research in medicine important? Why is it necessary for translational work to exist?

[5:00] Andrew Cornwall describes the process of the work he does from when someone approaches him with an idea, to the point where that idea is made into a consumer product.

[9:10] Why aren’t there more places like Cleveland FES centre?

[12:20] Andrew talks about the importance of collaboration and cites an interesting example he read on how research productivity increased when a history department was put in the same building as a neuroscience department

[14:40] Andrew discusses some of the companies that have come out of the Cleveland FES centre and the projects that have come out from the centre.

[16:00] The centre has recently started a new program called Neuro Design designed to grow the base of entrepreneurial talent in Cleveland with a focus on neurotechnology.

[17:00] Andrew discusses the Biodesign program and the different phases: clinical immersion, prototyping phases and designing a business plan

[20:35] We are currently recruiting for our cohort next year and you can apply to the program at clevelandneurodesign.org. Strong preferences for applicants include clinical experience, strong engineering background, research background, builder, industry experience etc.

[24:50] If you had unlimited funding, what would you do with it?

[28:00] “We need to do a better job of this, pouring money into what we call translational research… And I think it's a great credit to them that they've recognized that this is an area where there's some room for improvement and, The VA is deeply passionate about their mission of taking care of veterans.”