Speaker: Dr. Shubham Yadav, Postdoctoral Fellow at the Institute of Neuroinformatics, University and ETH Zurich.

Title: "Non-surgical bioelectronic implant for targeted focal brain stimulation"

Date: Monday, December 15, 2025 - Time: 4 PM
Tea & Coffee: 5 PM

Venue: CeNSE Seminar Hall


Abstract:

Bioelectronic implants hold tremendous promise for treating brain disorders, yet their clinical 
translation is hindered by the need for invasive neurosurgery. We introduce Circulatronics, 
an approach that leverages cell-electronics hybrids to enable non-surgical, autonomous 
implantation of bioelectronic devices to target brain regions. 

Central to this work is the design and fabrication of subcellular-sized, wireless, 
photovoltaic electronic devices that efficiently harvest optical energy. By covalently 
coupling these devices to monocytes, we create cell-electronic hybrids that autonomously 
traffic through the vasculature and self-implant at sites of neuroinflammation. 
Using this platform, we demonstrate focal neuromodulation (30 µm resolution) in a rodent 
model without any surgical intervention. 

This talk will discuss the engineering principles underlying device design, the biological 
mechanisms enabling autonomous targeting and implantation, and proof-of-concept results 
demonstrating therapeutic potential. By merging electronic functionality with the inherent 
transport and targeting capabilities of living cells, Circulatronics represents a paradigm 
shift toward truly non-invasive neuromodulation.

Biography:

Shubham Yadav is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Institute of Neuroinformatics, 
University and ETH Zurich, and a recent PhD graduate from the MIT Media Lab. He received 
the B.Tech–M.Tech (Dual Degree) in Electrical Engineering from IIT Kanpur, and completed 
his S.M. in Media Arts and Sciences from MIT in 2021.  

His doctoral research focused on developing minimally invasive bioelectronic devices for 
precise neural modulation without surgical intervention. He designed wireless, subcellular-scale 
photovoltaic devices coupled with cells to enable autonomous neural targeting and implantation. 
His approach, termed "Circulatronics", leverages cell trafficking through the vasculature to 
self-implant functional electronics to neuroinflammatory sites, achieving focal neuromodulation 
at 30 µm resolution. During his PhD, he was a Visiting Student at the Marine Biological Laboratories, 
Woods Hole, where he studied neural systems across diverse biological models. At ETH Zurich, 
he continues developing scalable bioelectronic platforms and is committed to creating accessible 
technologies that translate fundamental neuroscience into clinical solutions for neurological disorders.

Host Faculty:  Prof. Vini Gautam