The Human Brain: A Medical Mystery
The human brain remains one of the most fascinating and perplexing mysteries in medicine. Scientists still struggle to match neurological activity with brain function and detect problems early, slowing efforts to treat neurological disorders and other diseases.
Beacon Biosignals: Monitoring Brain Activity
Beacon Biosignals is working to make sense of the brain by monitoring its activity while people sleep. The company, founded by Jake Donoghue PhD ’19 and former MIT researcher Jarrett Revels, developed a lightweight headband that uses electroencephalogram (EEG) technology to measure brain activity during normal sleep routines at home. These data are processed by machine-learning algorithms to monitor the effects of novel treatments, find new signs of disease progression, and create patient cohorts for clinical trials.
Accelerating Path to Patients
Beacon partners with pharmaceutical companies to accelerate its path to patients. The company’s FDA 510(k)-cleared medical device has been used in over 40 clinical trials globally for conditions like major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, narcolepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.
Creating a Foundation Model of the Brain
With each deployment, Beacon learns more about how the brain works, using insights to create a “foundation model” of the brain. By tracking brain function across various diseases at scale, Beacon aims to discover novel subgroups of diseases and map them over time.
Training and Development
Donoghue trained in the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, conducting clinical training for an MD while completing his PhD in neuroscience at MIT. He developed his ideas further with mentors like Sydney Cash and Brandon Westover, eventually co-founding Beacon with Revels in 2019.
Understanding Brain Health
Beacon began as a computation and analytics company building wearable devices to expand clinical impact. By focusing on sleep as a window to understand the brain, Beacon can collect lab-grade data on patients over multiple nights, using machine learning to extract insights and link sleep features to outcomes.
Improving Brain Treatments
Last year, Beacon acquired an at-home sleep apnea testing company, expanding access to high-quality testing in the home. With a vision to reach patients at scale and build a longitudinal record of brain function over time, Beacon aims to detect and intervene in brain disease earlier, potentially before symptoms ever begin.Kindly read our copyright disclaimer here: https://cere-sync.com/dmca-copyrights-disclaimer/