May 27, 2025
1:00pm – 2:00pm PDT
Summary
Led by Dr. Fidel Vila-Rodriguez, this session will provide an overview of Interventional Brain Medicine: the emerging field using neurotechnologies to treat psychiatric and neurological conditions. Dr. Vila-Rodriguez will discuss clinical advances in neuromodulation techniques, including transcranial magnetic stimulation, magnetic seizure therapy, and focused ultrasound. His work emphasizes clinically applicable research designed to be translated promptly, efficiently, and safely into real-world practice.
Speaker
Dr. Fidel Vila-Rodriguez, MD, PhD, FRCPC, FAPA
Director, Non-invasive Neurostimulation Therapies (NINET) Laboratory
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Division of Neuroscience and Translational Psychiatry
Co-head, Interventional Brain Medicine Program
Associate Member, School of Biomedical Engineering
As a Clinician-Scientist, I have a strong interest in conducting translational research that bridges our understanding on the neurobiology of psychiatric disorders with the clinical applications of this knowledge. My clinical practice is actively focused in those most severely afflicted by such conditions, and my research interests are directed at finding novel therapeutic interventions as part of the emerging field of Interventional Brain Medicine. This paradigm shift strategy is already helping mitigating the suffering of those with severe and refractory forms of psychosis, depression, and other neuropsychiatric conditions. I strongly believe that understanding the mechanism of action of Interventional Brain Medicine technologies is a critical step towards translating research knowledge to clinical practice. More important, translating that knowledge to clinical practice will have a direct, immediate, and positive impact on the life’s of those who struggle and suffer the most devastating forms of mental illness and their families.