Getting from whiteboard to white matter: Translational research tools for investigating neurological disease

The burden of neurological disease represents a large unmet need. Yet the application of medical technology to address these needs is often limited due to the lack of underlying neural data on natural pathophysiology and, in particular, its response to existing and potential treatments. This work describes the inherent constraints of medical device design in the evolving neurotechnology space, and proposes strategies that might help to overcome these limitations. We propose an approach of “biodiscovery,” which embodies the development and deployment of systems that allow simultaneous scientific investigation and therapeutic delivery. We illustrate our methodology with examples from both translated products and research tools being applied today.