Latest bioelectronic medicine discoveries focus of Feinstein Institute-hosted symposium

STOCKHOLM, June 14, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Leading researchers from neuroscience, molecular biology and bioengineering, discussed discoveries that drive the field of bioelectronic medicine forward at a recent three-day symposium. The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, the Karolinska Institutet and its journal, the Journal of Internal Medicine, hosted "Bioelectronic Medicine: Technology Targeting Molecular Mechanisms," which took place June 12-14 in Stockholm, Sweden.

"With discoveries announced, the pace of bioelectronic medicine is accelerating," said Kevin J. Tracey, MD, president and CEO of the Feinstein Institute. "As the global scientific home of bioelectronic medicine, it is important that the Feinstein Institute host a forum to discuss new findings and drive new discovery. We achieved that goal with this latest symposium."

Bioelectronic medicine taps the nervous system to treat disease and injury without the use of drugs. The nervous system's unique role in inflammation, named the inflammatory reflex, was discovered by Dr. Tracey. His research found that the vagus nerve is involved in controlling inflammation. This discovery identified the nervous system as a therapeutic target for medical conditions. Some conditions identified as potentially benefiting from bioelectronic medicine include rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, diabetes, paralysis and lupus.

"I am inspired by the science, by the field advances, and by our collaborations in the short time since our groups hosted the last meeting in 2016," said Peder Olofsson, MD, PhD, director of the Center for Bioelectronic Medicine at the Karolinska Institutet, and a chair of the symposia.

Co-chair of the meeting, Chad Bouton, co-director of the Feinstein Institute's Center for Bioelectronic Medicine noted that, "this meeting offers a seminal advance and holds promise for using electrons to cure patients with diseases ranging from inflammation to paralysis."

In addition to presentations by researchers from the Feinstein Institute and Karolinska Institutet, this year's symposium featured presentations from other major institutions across the United States and Europe, including Harvard, University of Cambridge and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. There were also presentations by leaders in the biotech space, including GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Galvani Bioelectronics, GE and Medtronic. Topics discussed ranged from defining circuits, to molecular targets, to neural interfaces, to signal processing, as well as tools to conduct research.

This was the latest in a series of symposiums that the Feinstein Institute hosted on the topic. For more information about Feinstein Institute events, click here. 

About the Feinstein Institute 
The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research is the research arm of Northwell Health, the largest healthcare provider in New York. Home to 50 research laboratories and to clinical research throughout dozens of hospitals and outpatient facilities, the Feinstein Institute includes 4,000 researchers and staff who are making breakthroughs in molecular medicine, genetics, oncology, brain research, mental health, autoimmunity, and bioelectronic medicine – a new field of science that has the potential to revolutionize medicine. For more information about how we empower imagination and pioneer discovery, visit FeinsteinInstitute.org.

Contact: Heather E. Ball Mayer
516-465-4917
hball@northwell.edu

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SOURCE The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research