TEAM
Team
Ludovica Labruna
CEO/Founder
Ludovica Labruna, PhD, is an entrepreneurial neuroscientist with deep knowledge of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) applications. As a scientist, her research focused on understanding individual differences in the efficacy of NIBS methods. She founded Magnetic Tides to develop new, comfortable and reliable NIBS methods for augmenting human brain function. Her mission as the CEO of Magnetic Tides is to bring to the market kTMP, a device that has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders.
Daniel Sheltraw
CTO/Founder
Daniel Sheltraw, M.D., Ph.D., has expertise in magnetic resonance physics, applied mathematics, and control systems engineering. His research, focused on solving the physics and engineering challenges of extending TMS and tES systems beyond their present capabilities, led to the development of kTMP, our innovative NIBS method.
Christina Merrick
Director of Research
Christina Merrick, Ph.D., has expertise using computational and statistical models to analyze invasive neural recordings in humans. She has previously worked with invasive brain stimulation as a clinical treatment for Parkinson's Disease, and now hoping to develop non-invasive treatments using kTMP.
Philipp Reber
Lead Neuroscientist
Philipp Reber is a neuroscientist, engineer, and psychologist, with experience in adaptive brain stimulation, neurophysiology, research engineering, and mental health care. His research is dedicated to exploring personalized neuromodulation systems to enhance our understanding of brain function and develop more effective treatments for brain disorders.
Saumya Singh
Lead Clinical Neuroscientist
Saumya Singh, MBBS, MPH, is a medical professional with experience as a COVID frontline worker in rural India and later in the General Internal Medicine Department at Beth Israel Lahey Hospital. She has a strong background in patient care and data analysis for GI research. As part of the Weill NeuroHub grant, Saumya will lead research on the effects of kTMP in stroke patients.
Daisy Dai
Research Neuroscientist
Daisy Dai is a recent Graduate from UC Berkeley with a bachelor's degree in Cognitive Science and Neurobiology. She wants to advance her knowledge of research and medical device development targeted at clinical indications. After working for Magnetic Tides, Daisy hopes to pursue an M.D.
Rich Ivry
Founder
Richard Ivry, Ph.D., is a distinguished professor at the University of California, Berkeley. To study various aspects of human performance, his lab uses multiple cognitive neuroscience tools including brain stimulation (tES and TMS), neuroimaging, and behavioral work involving patients with neurological disorders.
Cidnee Luu
Lead Research Engineer
Cidnee Luu has expertise in device development and testing, as well as signal processing of physiological signals. Her master’s research focused on the development and validation of wearable EEG systems and dry EEG electrodes. She is interested in neurotechnology and its application to improving brain health.
Ian OKidhain
UCB/UCSF Doctoral Student
Ian OKidhain, affiliated with the NeuroHub Project, is a PhD student in the UC Berkeley - UCSF Joint Bioengineering Program focusing on neuroengineering. His project explores the neural effects of high frequencies and amplitude waveform dynamics for invasive and non-invasive brain stimulation.
Katheryn
Thayer-Pham
Research Neuroscientist
Katheryn Thayer-Pham is a UC Berkeley Neurobiology graduate passionate about applying research to real-world clinical challenges, especially through medical device innovation. At Magnetic Tides, she supports R&D efforts focused on improving patient outcomes through technology. She plans to pursue an M.D./Ph.D. to bridge scientific discovery and clinical practice through research and patient care.
Haajar Ahmad-Ali
Research Engineer
Haajar (or Hodge) Ahmad-Ali is a recent Graduate from the University of Pittsburg's Swanson School of Engineering, with a bachelor's degree in Bioengineering and a focus in medical product development and quality management systems (QMS). Hodge is interested in continuing to pursue a career in medical device quality management systems through her experience at Magnetic Tides.
Consultants
Angel Peterchev
Angel Peterchev, Ph.D., from Duke University, is internationally recognized for his pioneering work developing new NIBS methods, specifically TMS devices. Dr. Peterchev will be drawing on his research and expertise as he continues as a consultant for kTMP safety.
Tom Hoster
Tom Hoster is an experienced finance professional with over 25 years of experience as Chief Financial Officer in Silicon Valley start-ups. He has led companies through rapid growth in both the technology and medical device
industries. His experience includes serving as CFO of eNeura, a pioneer in the field of TMS, as well as other early-stage medical device start-ups.
Cynthia Merrell
Cynthia M. Merrell has 30+ years of experience creating and implementing quality systems in the health and medical device industry, including a decade spent working with the first transcranial magnetic stimulation device cleared by the FDA for migraine. With a strong background in chemistry and written communications, and a proven track record in improving regulatory and quality systems, Cynthia is an expert in ensuring quality compliance both nationally and internationally.
NIH Study Monitoring Committee
Andrew Krystal
Andrew Krystal, M.D., Ph.D., is the director of the UCSF Interventional Psychiatry Program, co-director of the UCSF TMS Program, and vice chair for research in the Department of Psychiatry. He has extensive experience conducting non-invasive and invasive brain stimulation research and was involved in carrying out the first rTMS device trial approved by the U.S. FDA. Dr. Krystal is recognized for his expertise in using EEG in psychiatric research and has contributed to Consensus Recommendations for utilizing rTMS to treat major depression.
Tracy Mayne
Tracy Mayne, Ph.D., has extensive experience directing medical research and coordinating medical information and operations as the Vice President for Global Medical Affairs at Intercept Pharmaceuticals. He received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology and has held several senior positions at pharma and biotech companies. In conjunction with Magnetic Tides, Dr. Wayne has contributed to the design of phase 2-4 clinical trials, execution of statistical analysis plans, and participated in FDA advisory committees. Dr. Wayne will be overseeing the publication of the design and results of kTMP studies.
Sheri Johnson
Sheri Johnson, Ph.D., is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at UC Berkeley. She is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in using computational models to understand abnormal brain-behavior relationships and the effects of various interventions. Dr. Johnson has served on NIH panels shaping clinical research directions and study designs, including service in the development and application of review domain criteria (RDOC). Prof. Johnson has previously served on DSMBs and has a long record of service on the UC Berkeley IRB.
Theodore Zanto
Theodore Zanto, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Neurology and a member of the Weill Institute for Neurosciences at UCSF. He is the director of the neuroscience division of the Neuroscape initiative at UCSF and has expertise in multimodal neuroimaging and non-invasive brain stimulation. Dr. Zanto has participated in clinical trials assessing the use of non-invasive brain stimulation in the treatment of memory disorders and mild cognitive decline. Furthermore, his competence with many statistical analysis methods will be relevant to the research plan of this SBIR proposal.