Fostering Ethical Neurotechnology Academia-Industry Partnerships: A Stakeholder Engagement and Toolkit Development Project

<h3>Project Overview</h3>
<p>Neurotechnology is a swiftly-advancing field that offers great potential for enhancing patient care for a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders. Neurotechnology refers to invasive (e.g. deep brain stimulation) and non-invasive (e.g. transcranial magnetic stimulation) devices that support the diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the brain and spinal cord. Many of these innovations, like implantable brain devices, emerge from collaborations between academic researchers and private sector companies. These academia-industry partnerships are crucial for driving innovation and converting scientific findings into practical clinical tools. Nonetheless, these collaborations face ethical challenges arising from clashing institutional missions and values—such as the academic emphasis on transparency and data sharing versus industry’s need to safeguard trade secrets and intellectual property.
This project aims to bridge this gap by involving a variety of stakeholders to identify, understand, and create actionable guidance that assists stakeholders in navigating the ethical landscape of academia-industry neurotechnology partnerships.</p>