Event Date
AYSEGUL GUNDUZ, PHD
Associate Professor, UF Research Foundation
Professor & Diversity Officer
J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering
University of Florida
ABSTRACT
Although DBS is a widely used treatment option for medication refractory movement disorders and neuropsychiatric disorders , the stimulation is delivered in an “open-loop” fashion, meaning no feedback regarding the patient's current symptom(s), medication status, or the side effects they are experiencing are provided back to the DBS system. A “closed-loop DBS” system, on the other hand, would be able to identify a biomarker reflective of a patient’s current disease state, and adapt the delivery and parameters of stimulation. Such a smart system may yield improved patient outcomes due to its tailored approach, and increased battery life as unnecessary stimulation would be avoided when symptoms are manageable without DBS.
BIO
Dr. Gunduz’s research is focused on finding precursors to behavior and aftereffects of stimulation in neural networks through electrophysiology and bioimaging. Her lab aims to translate this knowledge into clinical diagnostic and therapeutic systems to improve the quality of life of those suffering from neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. Gunduz works with many clinical populations, such as neurosurgical patients with epilepsy and movement disorders (Parkinson’s Disease, essential tremor), as well as stroke patients undergoing neurorehabilitation.
Professor Gunduz earned her BS degree in Electrical Engineering from the Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey, her MS degree in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC, and her PhD degree in Electrical Engineering from University of Florida in Gainesville. She then conducted a post-doctoral fellowship in Neurology at Albany Medical College in Albany, NY.
Dr. Gunduz received numerous awards, including the International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering Early Career Award, NSF CAREER Award, UF Graduate Education Diversity Champion Award, the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), and many more.