Conor Keogh

I am a postdoctoral researcher in neural interfacing at the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford. I work in a joint role as an Academic Clinical Fellow in neurosurgery at the John Radcliffe Hospital, having previously completed a DPhil on the application of engineering techniques to the management of nervous system pathology using neuromodulation.

I previously completed degrees in medicine and neural engineering in Trinity College Dublin, during which I focused primarily on neurostimulation techniques and on the development of statistical signal processing methods for neural signals, in addition to a period as a visiting student in ETH Zurich, where I worked on fabrication of novel electrode arrays using stretchable electronics for spinal cord injury repair.

I completed my DPhil with the Oxford Neural Interfacing Group, focusing on the use of computational modelling techniques to develop patient-specific targeted stimulation protocols using non-invasive electric fields. This work was supported by scholarships from the Clarendon Fund, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the National Institute for Health Research and Trinity College, Oxford.

My work is based on the development of techniques for targeted electrical neuromodulation in neurological diseases with the aim of restoring function to the damaged nervous system and preventing predictable functional loss. I work closely with colleagues across a range of disciplines, including engineering, neurophysiology and neurosurgery. I am interested in the application of interdisciplinary approaches to improve techniques for functional restoration and in the translation of research insights into real impact through engagement with tech transfer.

Research summary

My research is focused on the development of techniques for functional restoration following damage to the nervous system. I use techniques from engineering, computational neuroscience and medical device design with clinical applications in neurosurgery, trauma and motor disorders. I focus on early-stage translational work, including investigating the mechanisms underlying electrical neuromodulation therapies, the design and optimisation of novel interventions and deploying new treatments in pilot clinical studies.

Injury to the spinal cord can lead to loss of motor and sensory function below the level of the lesion due to interruption of neural pathways. This has a devastating impact on quality of life. It has been thought that there is little prospect of recovery beyond the acute phase. Recent advances using electrical neuromodulation have shown promise in restoring motor function. My work aims to develop and optimise non-invasive and invasive electrical stimulation techniques in order to restore lost function and translate these advances into real quality of life benefits.

I am also interested in the development of systems for the delivery of neuromodulation therapies. This includes the development of novel electrical stimulation systems and, particularly, control systems for delivery of closed-loop electrical stimulation. I aim to integrate our understanding of specific neurological pathologies and the mechanisms underlying their treatment into embedded medical systems in order to translate our knowledge into reliable therapies. This focus has led to the development of patents for electrical stimulation systems and the generation of a spin-out company to commercialise these developments.

In terms of basic science, I work on better understanding how electrical stimulation therapies interact with the nervous system and how nervous system activity is related to the signals we can record. By improving our knowledge of how we influence nervous system activity with electric fields, we can develop better and more targeted therapies and stimulation waveforms to treat nervous system disease. Similarly, by better understanding how the activity we see relates to meaningful parameters, such as understanding how the brain coordinates hand movements, we can develop better control systems for neuroprosthetic systems to replace lost limb function.

Overall, I work on using modern engineering and computational approaches to develop novel interventions for restoring function to the nervous system. I am interested in integrating work across the spectrum from basic science insights into the activity of the nervous system to the development of devices to leverage this understanding and ultimately to translating this into clinical application and commercialisation in order to make the benefit gained from these insights available to patients. I believe that developing and translating new treatments for patients with functional loss has the potential to generate meaningful quality of life benefits for this group and to help them to maximise their engagement with society.