Overview

Director: Nolan Williams, Stanford University, USA
Co-Director: Mark S. George, Medical University of South Carolina, USA

In recent years, researchers and clinicians have begun to challenge long-held assumptions about non-invasive brain stimulation—revisiting session density, daily/overall dosing, intersession spacing, and more. With transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for depression as a leading testbed, this Challenge Workshop convenes global experts to share cutting-edge research and debate open questions. The goal is to collaboratively draft a white paper reflecting the week’s discussions—aimed at advancing thinking across rapidly emerging domains of non-invasive brain stimulation.

Faculty

• Charlotte Stagg — Oxford University, UK
• Harold Sackeim — Medical University of South Carolina, USA
• Kristin Raj — Stanford University, USA
• Joseph Taylor — Brigham and Women’s Hospital & Harvard Medical School, USA

Highlighted Talks

Nolan Williams
Rethinking the Limits of Neuromodulation: Precision, Acceleration, and Mechanism
Work on Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy (SAINT) explores individualized, high-dose, fcMRI-guided TMS with condensed schedules and high remission rates in treatment-resistant depression, probing dose-response limits, daily biological constraints, and precision targeting across disorders.

Mark S. George
How did we get here and what are the known limits of accelerated TMS?
A historical and safety-focused view on accelerated TMS: dosing growth, device constraints, disease vulnerability, emerging data on minimal effective daily sessions, phase-synchronized protocols, and neurophysiologic biomarkers (entrainment, cortical excitability) as indicators of target engagement and clinical improvement.

At a Glance

• Dates: October 21–25, 2025
• Venue: Stanford University (USA)
• Directors: Nolan Williams (Director), Mark S. George (Co-Director)
• Focus: Accelerated/precision TMS, dosing/safety limits, biomarkers, mechanisms

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