The Science & PINS Prize for Neuromodulation
Introduction
Our Mission
Winners
About PINS
PINS Product Offerings
Recognizing innovative & outstanding research
The Grand Prize winner is awarded:
Established in 2016, the prize is administered by Science and Science Translational Medicine and is awarded annually for outstanding research as described in a 1,000-word essay based on research performed in the past three years.
USD 25,000 and publication of their essay in Science
Our Mission for Neuromodulation Research
Neuromodulation, described by the International Neuromodulation Society as a technology that brings about the “alteration—or modulation—of nerve activity by delivering electrical or pharmaceutical agents directly to a target area,” is an exciting and evolving new field.
Opportunities and challenges for neuromodulation
Fundamental
We know little about the exact underlying mechanisms of neuromodulation, as our knowledge about the brain is very limited.
Technological
To fulfill clinical requirements in neuromodulation we need to design and fabricate small, intelligent, biocompatible devices that can be implanted in the human body.
Clinical
A growing number of diseases can be treated with neuromodulation, including movement and psychiatric disorders, alleviating suffering for many patients and benefiting their families and society as a whole.
Neuromodulation technology is an interdisciplinary field that grew out of a clinical need. However, advances in fundamental research are far from being applied to clinical practice.
We believe that the Science & PINS Prize for Neuromodulation will encourage scientists to focus on translational research, including the mechanisms, innovative approaches and methods, novel therapies, and new applications for neuromodulation.
Director of the National Engineering Research Center for Neuromodulation at Tsinghua University and founder of the Science & PINS Prize for Neuromodulation
Professor Luming Li
Our Current and Previous Winners
2023
2023
Aaron Phillips
(Grand Prize winner)
Dr. Phillips’ research harnesses particle-to-population–level discoveries to develop new hemodynamic therapeutics for people with neurological conditions.
Christina K. Kim
(Finalist)
Associate Professor at the University of Calgary
Assistant Professor at the University of California, Davis
2022
2022
Stanisa Raspopovic
(Grand Prize winner)
Assistant Professor of Neuroengineering at ETH Zurich
Dr. Raspopovic is focused on the design of neuroprosthetics for treatment of neurologically disabled persons. In particular, he develops mechatronic systems that interface the environment with the nervous system.
Weijian Yang
(Finalist)
Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UC Davis
Dr. Yang’s research group aims to develop advanced optical methods and neurotechnologies to interrogate and modulate brain activity.
2021
2021
Viviana Gradinaru
(Grand Prize winner)
Professor of Neuroscience and Biological Engineering at Caltech
Dr. Gradinaru is a cofounder and board member of Capsida Biotherapeutics, a fully integrated adeno-associated virus (AAV) engineering and gene therapy company.
Guosong Hong
(Finalist)
Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Stanford University
Dr. Hong’s research aims to develop new materials-enabled neurotechnologies to interrogate and manipulate the brain with high spatiotemporal resolution, minimal
invasiveness, and targeted neural specificity.
2020
2020
Shuo Chen
(Grand Prize winner)
Postdoctoral Fellow at New York University School of Medicine
Dr. Chen’s research interests include developing minimally invasive methods to record and manipulate brain activity and discovering how long-term memory is formed, stored, and recalled.
Bozhi Tian
(Finalist)
Professor of Chemistry at the University of Chicago
Dr. Tian’s work focuses on bioelectronics, subcellular biophysics, and chemical dynamics at the soft–hard interfaces.
2019
2019
Nir Grossman
(Grand Prize winner)
Assistant Professor at Imperial College London
Dr. Grossman is also a fellow of the UK Dementia Research Institute. His team develops neuromodulatory interventions for people with neurodegenerative diseases.
Aryn Gittis
(Finalist)
Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University
Dr. Gittis’ research seeks to understand how neural circuits in the basal ganglia are organized and function to shape movement in health and disease.
2018
2018
A Word from Our Winners
Robert Reinhart (2022)
Assistant Professor at Boston University
About PINS
Our Mission
Our Vision
To create absolute value for patients
To build a world-class neuromodulation industry
PINS Milestones
2000
2009
2012
2013
2014
2015
2015
2014
2013
2012
2009
2000
2000
Development of PINS neuromodulation devices initiated
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2022
2022
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
1
Deep Brain Stimulation
For Parkinson's Disease & Essential Tremor
PINS Product Offerings
Vagus Nerve Stimulation
For Epilepsy
2
Spinal Cord Stimulation
For Chronic Pain
3
Sacral Neuromodulation
For Overactive Bladder
4
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) systems have been utilized clinically for over 20 years for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, dystonia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other diseases.
PINS was the first Chinese manufacturer of DBS devices to obtain a European CE mark. PINS is proud to have helped thousands of patients with movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, greatly improving their quality of life.
300+
30,000+
PINS clinical cooperation centers established
DBS devices have been implanted in China
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The Science & PINS Prize for Neuromodulation
Dr. Kim’s research develops molecular technologies to study the biochemical and functional properties of neurons that regulate behaviors disrupted in neuropsychiatric disorders.
Stanisa Raspopovic (2021)
Assistant Professor of Neuroengineering at ETH Zurich
Weijian Yang (2021)
Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UC Davis
Aaron Phillips (2023)
Associate Professor at the University of Calgary
Christina K. Kim (2023)
Assistant Professor at the University of California, Davis
The Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) system is an implantable miniature pulse generator used to treat refractory epilepsy. It emits electrical impulses that stimulate the left cervical vagus nerve, improving control of epileptic symptoms and reducing seizure frequency.
The PINS VNS system has been used in over 200 hospitals nationally since its release in 2016, bringing much-needed relief for refractory epilepsy sufferers across the country.
130,000+
patients globally have received VNS system implants to treat epilepsy
>50%
reduction in epileptic attacks in over half of patients
Sacral Neuromodulation (SNM) systems are electrotherapeutic devices implanted in vivo for long-term use that act as bladder pacemakers. They are most effective in improving symptoms for patients whose urination and excretion has proved refractory to standard treatments.
Weak electric pulses stimulate the sacral nerve to regulate bladder, sphincter, and pelvic nerve reflexes to improve regulation of bladder and bowel evacuation.
>50%
of overactive bladder cases were improved by SNM systems
The Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) system is a minimally invasive, reversible technology that has been used in the clinic for decades to provide relief from chronic pain.
Patients with implanted SCS devices have significantly improved their ability to function normally and enjoy a good quality of life.
40+
years of relief to those suffering from chronic pain
850,000+
patients have received SCS devices, globally
Sacral Neuromodulation
For Overactive Bladder
4
Spinal Cord Stimulation
For Chronic Pain
3
Vagus Nerve Stimulation
For Epilepsy
2
Deep Brain Stimulation
For Parkinson's Disease & Essential Tremor
1
2009
First implantation of a PINS DBS device
2012
First implantation of a PINS rechargeable DBS device
National Engineering Research Center for Neuromodulation established; PINS is a cofounder
2013
Approval for PINS DBS system received from China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA)
2014
First implantation of a PINS vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) device
2015
First implantation of a PINS DBS device with variable frequency stimulation capability
First implantation of a 3.0T MRI-compatible DBS device
Release of clinical trial of PINS DBS device featuring simultaneous stimulation and recording functionality
2016
CE certification for PINS DBS system granted
NMPA approval for PINS VNS system granted
Science & PINS Prize for Neuromodulation established
First implantation of a PINS sacral neuromodulation (SNM) device
2017
First implantation of PINS DBS device outside of China
First demonstration of remote DBS programming across continents
2018
PINS wins the National Science and Technology Progress Award First Prize
NMPA approval for PINS SNM system granted
2019
First implantation of PINS spinal cord stimulation (SCS) device
2020
First implantation of PINS DBS device featuring simultaneous stimulation and recording functionality using an AI + Bluetooth interface
First implantation of PINS directional DBS leads
2022
NMPA approval for PINS 3.0T & 1.5T MRI compatible DBS system granted
NMPA approval for PINS SCS system granted
First Science & PINS Prize for Neuromodulation ceremony
2016–2023
2000–2015
Learn more about the winners
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330,000+
patients have benefited from this therapy globally
Learn more about the winners
Learn more about the winners
Learn more about the winners
Learn more about the winners
Learn more about the winners
2000–2015
2016–2023
Introduction
Our Mission
Winners
About PINS
PINS Product Offerings
Learn More
2005
2005
2005
First prototype of PINS deep brain stimulation (DBS) device
2005
2005
2005
First prototype of PINS deep brain stimulation (DBS) device
Davide Folloni (2022)
Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York
Davide Folloni (2022)
Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York
Assistant professor at Boston University
Nir Grossman & Aryn Gittis (2018)
Assistant professor at Boston University
Meaghan Creed & Raag Airan (2017)
Assistant professor at Boston University
See Previous Winners
Shuo Chen & Bozhi Tian (2019)
Assistant professor at Boston University
Nir Grossman & Aryn Gittis (2018)
Assistant professor at Boston University
Meaghan Creed & Raag Airan (2017)
Assistant professor at Boston University
See Previous Winners
See Recent Winners
See Previous Winners
See Previous Winners
See Previous Winners
See Previous Winners
See Previous Winners
See Recent Winners
See Recent Winners
See Recent Winners
2023
Aaron Phillips
(Grand Prize winner)
Associate Professor at the University of Calgary
Dr. Phillips’ research harnesses particle-to-population–level discoveries to develop new hemodynamic therapeutics for people with neurological conditions.
Christina K. Kim
(Finalist)
Assistant Professor at the
University of California, Davis
Dr. Kim’s research develops molecular technologies to study the biochemical and functional properties of neurons that regulate behaviors disrupted in neuropsychiatric disorders.
Learn more about the winners
Assistant professor at Boston University
See Recent Winners
Assistant professor at Boston University
See Recent Winners
Shuo Chen & Bozhi Tian (2019)
Guosong Hong (2020)
Viviana Gradinaru (2020)
2023
2023
2023
NMPA approval for PINS rechargeable VNS system granted
NMPA approval for PINS rechargeable sensing DBS system granted
Davide Folloni
(Finalist)
Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York
Dr. Folloni’s research focuses on the development of multimodal approaches combining neuromodulatory, electrophysiological, and imaging techniques to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying learning and decision making, with the primary aim of describing how neuronal oscillations guide our adaptation to the world.
Robert Reinhart
(Grand Prize winner)
Assistant Professor at Boston University
Dr. Reinhart’s research combines electrophysiology, noninvasive neuromodulation, and behavior to elucidate the large-scale mechanisms of human cognition in health and disease, and to develop drug-free neuroscience therapeutics to help people with brain disorders.
2023
2023
2023
NMPA approval for PINS rechargeable VNS system granted
NMPA approval for PINS rechargeable sensing DBS system granted
Guosong Hong (2020)
Assistant professor at Boston University
Viviana Gradinaru (2020)
Assistant professor at Boston University