Brain Science and Neural Engineering

Faculty in the Penn State Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics (ESM) are engaged in a wide range of experimental, theoretical, computational, and clinical brain science research, as well as engineering approaches to advance such efforts. Examples include efforts to understand neurovascular coupling; mechanics of fluid flow through and waste removal from the brain (glymphatics); origins and control of seizures and spreading depression; device development for health monitoring, brain modulation, brain computer interfaces; development of neuromimetic devices; modeling the mechanics of neurovascular clot removal; origins and treatments of neurological diseases ranging from Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and Parkinson’s disease to epilepsy and childhood hydrocephalous.

ESM faculty are also engaged in the responsible development of brain science and technologies, with investigations into the ethical and social implications of advances in the brain sciences and neurotechnologies, including neurodevices and other neurointerventions.

ESM faculty form a major core of the Penn State Center for Neural Engineering, which now hosts the NIH-sponsored Cross Disciplinary Neural Engineering (CDNE) Predoctoral Training Program. Applicants to the ESM graduate program interested in participating in the CDNE program should state this intention in their application materials, identify research topics in which they are interested, and list faculty members with whom they would like to work.

Key Faculty:

• Laura Cabrera
• Huanyu “Larry” Cheng
• Francesco Costanzo
• Saptarshi Das
• Corina Drapaca
• Patrick Drew
• Bruce J. Gluckman

Affiliate/Graduate Faculty

• Andrew Geronimo
• Xuemei Huang
• Elizabeth Proctor
• Nanyin Zhang