Overview
InterfaceNeuro is a two-day conference that combines current topics in neuroengineering, neuroscience, neurosurgery, and related fields. The overarching goal is to create an atmosphere where scientists, engineers, and clinicians can interface with each other and inform a broader, more holistic understanding of developing neurosystems research. Rotating between the Rice University and Georgia Institute of Technology campuses, our conference also places education and career development at the heart of its activities through a poster session and networking events.
InterfaceNeuro 2026 will look at a variety of topics, ranging from work in using AI tools to understand cognition and behavior, to recent developments in engineering solutions to brain cancer, and innovation in chronic BCI implants. In addition, with Texas voters recently approving funding for a Dementia Prevention Research Institute (DPRIT), we will engage a panel discussion on how we might best allocate resources to better understand and treat AD, dementia, and similar neurodegenerative diseases that are affecting an increasing number of Americans.
This conference is a co-presentation of the Rice Neuroengineering Initiative and the Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society at Georgia Tech.
Conference Program
Day 01: Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Bioscience Research Collaborative, Auditorium
| TIME | SESSION/DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| 8:00 a.m. | Conference Registration and Check-In Opens |
| 8:30 a.m. |
Conference Opening and Welcome Luay Nakhleh, William and Stephanie Sick Dean of the George R. Brown School of Engineering, Rice University |
| 9:00 a.m. |
Session 01: Neuro AI: Frontiers in Modeling Cognition, Behavior, and Other Applications MARCELO MATTAR, Assistant Professor of Psychology and Neural Science at New York University BOB WILSON, Smithgall-Watts Associate Professor of Psychology, Director of the Center of Excellence for Computational Cognition, Georgia Tech ANDREW HICKL, Chief Technology Officer, Allen Institute ANQI WU, Assistant Professor of Computational Science and Engineering, Georgia Tech |
| 10:40 a.m. | Break |
| 11:00 a.m. |
Panel: With the launch of the Dementia Prevention Institute of Texas (DPRIT), what is the current state of research in this area of neurodegenerative diseases, and where should we allocate our resources? JONATHAN BEHR, Partner, SV Health Investors, LLC, Dementia Discovery Fund JULIE HARRIS, Vice President, Science Initiatives, Allen Institute SUDHA SESHADRI, Robert R. Barker Distinguished University Professor, University of Texas San Antonio, and Founding Director, Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's & Neurodegenerative Diseases GIULIO TAGLIALATELA, Director of the Moody Brain Health Institute at UTMB BEHNAAM AAZHANG, Director of the Rice Neuroengineering Initiative (moderator) |
| 12:10 p.m. | Lunch Break |
| 1:30 p.m. |
Session 02: Barriers and Opportunities in Translational Materials Neuroengineering ALEXANDER BOYS, Assistant Professor, Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College HUI FANG, Associate Professor, Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College DAMIANO BARONE, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist and Senior Research Associate at the University of Cambridge |
| 2:45 p.m. |
InterfaceNeuro Poster Session and Sponsor Exhibit Hour **Held in the BRC Event Hall |
| 4:00 p.m. |
Session 03: Academic and Clinical Research in BCI CECI VERBAARSCHOT, Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery and Biomedical Engineering, UT Southwest FRANK WILLETT, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, Co-Director, Neural Prosthetics Translational Laboratory, Stanford University NITIN TANDON, Professor of Neurosurgery and Co-Director, Texas Institute for Restorative Neurotechnologies, UT McGovern School of Medicine |
| 5:15 p.m. |
InterfaceNeuro Networking Happy Hour **Held in the BRC Event Hall |
Day 02: Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Bioscience Research Collaborative, Auditorium
| TIME | SESSION/DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| 8:00 a.m. |
Morning Mixer *BRC pre-function space |
| 8:30 a.m. |
Ask an NINDS Program Officer - Question and Answer Session MEGAN FRANKOWSKI, Program Director in the Division of Translational Research, NIH/NINDS SARAH ROBINSON-SCHWARTZ, Program Director for Translational Neural Devices (TND), Division of Translational Research (DTR), NIH/NINDS |
| 9:00 a.m. |
Session 04: Developments in Brain Cancer Research COSTAS D. ARVANITIS, Associate Professor, George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, and the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech FREDERICK F. LANG, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery at MD Anderson CHRISTINA TRINGIDES, Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Nanoengineering, Rice University STEPHANIE SEIDLITS, Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin |
| 10:40 a.m. | Break |
| 11:00 a.m. |
Panel: Neuroscience and Technology Training Programs - Are Academia and Industry In Sync? JACOB ROBINSON, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Professor of Bioengineering, Rice University, and Founder/CEO of Motif Neurotech ROB FRANKLIN, Vice President of BCI, Blackrock Neurotech KURTIS NISHIMURA, Chief Technology Officer, Paradromics CHRISTOPHER ROZELL, Julian T. Hightower Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Executive Director, Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology & Society (INNS), Georgia Institute of Technology SMITA JHA, Director, Training Grants & Fellowships, Baylor College of Medicine |
| 12:10 p.m. | Lunch Break |
| 1:30 p.m. |
Session 05: Three perspectives on Future Directions in Neurotech ROB FRANKLIN, Vice President of BCI, Blackrock Neurotech KURTIS NISHIMURA, Chief Technology Officer, Paradromics TRACY LAABS, Head of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships at the Wyss Center for Bio and Neuroengineering |
| 2:45 p.m. | Break |
| 3:10 p.m. | Conference Wrap-up, Poster Awards, Brain Economy Summit Preview |
| 4:00 p.m. |
Keynote Presentation Carolina Aguilar, Co-Founder and CEO, INBRAIN Neuroelectronics |
| 5:00 p.m. | Keynote Reception and Completion of Conference |
Register
Reserve your spot for InterfaceNeuro 2026.
Location
Bioscience Research Collaborative, Auditorium
Houston, TX