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Unlocking the Gut's Brain with Ingestible Bioelectronics

Abstract:

Designing ingestible neural interfaces for the gastrointestinal tract requires careful consideration of the enteric nervous system (ENS). Comprised of 400-600 million neurons, this complex web-like plexus of nerves plays a crucial role in regulating not only digestive functions but also influencing mood, cognition, immunity, and energy balance through its intricate interactions on neural, hormonal, and microbial axes. Ingestible devices that interface with the ENS hold immense potential for advancing the understanding and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders through electrical, chemical, and mechanical functionalities. This talk will delve into ingestible devices that could transform treatments for conditions like gastroparesis and obesity by offering targeted stimulation and enhancing drug delivery. Ultimately, ingestible devices could enhance overall health by providing personalized, responsive interventions delivered in the gut.

Biography:

Dr. Shriya Srinivasan is an assistant professor of bioengineering at Harvard University where she directs the Harvard Biohybrid Organs and Neuroprosthetics (BIONICS) lab. The lab focuses on the development of surgical reconstruction techniques in consort with bidirectional neural implants for improved sensorimotor control. 

Shriya graduated from Case Western Reserve University with a BS in biomedical engineering, with a concentration in biomaterials. She then received her doctoral degree in medical engineering and medical physics through the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology program in January 2020. Her doctoral research focused on the development of novel neural interfaces utilizing tissue engineering to better interface human limbs with prostheses, in the context of amputation and paralysis. She developed the Regenerative Agonist-antagonist Myoneural Interface (AMI) that enables patients to control their prosthesis with native neural signals. She also explored optogenetic techniques to create novel strategies to accelerate and improve neural control.  

As a junior fellow at the Harvard Society of Fellows and Schmidt Science Fellow, Shriya worked in the labs of Dr. Giovanni Traverso and Dr. Robert Langer, designing ingestible bioelectronics for gastrointestinal neuromodulation. 

Shriya has been awarded the Delsys Prize, the Lemelson-MIT Student Prize for her innovative work, and recognized by Forbes and the MIT Technology Review as one of 30 innovators under 30. 

Shriya was a former director of MIT Hacking Medicine, where she led educational and programmatic initiatives for design thinking education and medtech innovation - interfacing with various governmental and corporate entities. She also founded Project Prana, a nonprofit devoted to affordable medical technology innovation- which commercialized a ventilator multiplexer to market during the pandemic. In her spare time, Shriya performs Indian classical dance with the Anubhava Dance Company.

Research Topics
Computational Biology, Imaging, Neurobiology, Optogenetics, Sensory Processing
Disease Research Interests
Aging Related Diseases, Neurological and Behavioral Disorders
Advancing Research in Auditory Neuroscience
We study the mechanisms by which complex sounds, such as speech, are processed by the auditory system. We hypothesize that the auditory system generates internal models of the sensory world, and uses these models to extract meaning from complex sensory stimuli. One potential neuronal substrate for this generative model is the massive system of descending projections from the auditory cortex to virtually every level of the subcortical auditory system. These projections are critical for shaping the response properties of neurons in the auditory periphery, but very little is known about their functional organization.
We employ electrophysiological, novel optical, optogenetic, computational and advanced anatomical approaches to study the projections from the auditory cortex to subcortical structures. One specific set of issues that we address concerns the role of different cortical subnetworks in complex sound processing. For example, neurons in both cortical layer 5 and cortical layer 6 project to subcortical structures, and the neurons in these layers have very different intrinsic, integrative and synaptic properties. Our work explores the different roles that these groups of neurons play in the processing of complex sound.

Clinical/Translational: Our laboratory also has an interest aging- and Alzheimer Disease-related auditory network dysfunction, particularly as it relates to changes in network properties in the auditory thalamus and cortex and novel imaging methodologies.

Going on the academic job market? You’ll need a strong CV that presents your academic background and experience convincingly. And you’ll need a compelling cover letter that highlights your experience and fit with the department. Join us and learn the basics of preparing these application materials, including structure, content, and customization.

No registration required. This session will take place on Zoom online at https://go.grad.illinois.edu/eventspace

See the full listing of Graduate College workshops at https://go.grad.illinois.edu/workshops

*If you require any disability-related accommodations to participate in this workshop more fully, please email gradsuccess@illinois.edu

Graduate students, welcome and welcome back to the University of Illinois. We are glad you are here.

We hope this week helps you connect with the university resources, communities, programs, and opportunities available to you as grad students at Illinois. Visit the Welcome (Back) webpage for details on events. 

See all Graduate College events here. 

Create the "write" habit! Our writing group provides graduate students with dedicated time to make progress on writing in a supportive atmosphere. The writing group provides structured writing, break, and discussion time, with each meeting consisting of a short goal-setting conversation, quiet writing time, and a concluding reflection and wrap-up. You will be working on your own current writing (e.g., thesis, dissertation, manuscript). These groups are ideal for graduate students who are seeking to create or return to a writing routine, make progress and meet deadlines on long-term projects, or jump-start a new writing project. Find more information and our Writing Group FAQs here.

Our writing groups are held every Tuesday from 9:00am-12:00pm, and we encourage you to attend regularly. We will not meet on campus holidays.

This event will be held in a hybrid format: Join us in-person in the Main Library Orange Room. Or, join us online. The Zoom link will be in your registration confirmation email and in the weekly reminder emails.

The Writers Workshop will email you a weekly reminder. You only need to register once for the recurring writing group. Please register using your University of Illinois email.

The Graduate Research Plan is one of two required statements for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF-GRF) application. In this workshop, students will learn the basic rules of proposal writing, the components of an effective proposal, and how to apply that knowledge to the specific requirements of the NSF-GRF Graduate Research Plan Statement. Participants will leave with a template that can be adapted for other prestigious university, national, and international funding competitions. 

This workshop is part of our series "NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Fundamentals." Interested students should first complete the corresponding self-guided Canvas course, and should also plan to attend our workshop on Writing an Effective NSF-GRF Personal Statement.

Register in advance for the link to this online workshop. 

See more Graduate College Workshops.

Graduate Assistant Employee Orientation (for TAs, RAs, GAs, and PGAs) Co-sponsored by Illinois Human Resources and the Graduate College, this employee orientation provides information for teaching, research, pre-professional, and graduate assistants regarding appointments and benefits.

For questions, please contact: ihr-ler@mx.uillinios.edu or 217-333-3105.

See the full listing of Graduate College workshops at http://go.grad.illinois.edu/workshops.

What are the expectations for research statements on the faculty job market? What can make your statement stand out, and what are some common mistakes? This workshop will cover the purpose, structure, and content of research statements.

No registration required. This session will take place on Zoom at https://go.grad.illinois.edu/eventspace

See the full listing of Graduate College workshops at https://go.grad.illinois.edu/workshops

*If you require any disability-related accommodations to participate in this workshop more fully, please email gradsuccess@illinois.edu

Many funding agencies require a personal statement in addition to an applicant’s research proposal. Why?! What on earth are you supposed to talk about? If these questions have induced writer’s block, this workshop is for you. We will assess the range of personal statement prompts you may encounter and distill their shared essence. Participants will learn the qualities of a compelling statement and a writing process they can follow to arrive at a complete first draft. 

Register in advance for the link to join this online workshop.

See more Graduate College Workshops.

Enjoy a ribbon-cutting, live music, and more! Join us to celebrate the Grand Reopening of the museum, including premiering new exhibitions—Fragmented Histories: Andean Art Before 1600, created with partners in Peru, and an introduction to New York-based contemporary artist Ronny Quevedo: a l l s t a r s, plus a new installation of the historical European and American art collection. After eighteen months, Kinkead Pavilion renovations are complete! The upgrade focused on sustainability: new LED lights, bird-friendly windows, sprinklers for fire safety, and an updated HVAC system. 

**Features a performance by Peruvian Quechua hip-hop artist Liberato Kani**

Grand Reopening Celebration!
Thu, Aug 28
4–7 pm

4:00 Ribbon-cutting
4:30 New exhibitions on view
5:30 Curator remarks and reception
6:30 Performance by Peruvian rapper Liberato Kani and dancer Yana Paqcha
7:00 Galleries open until 8 pm

This program was partially funded by the Vision 2030 Global Strategy’s Implementation Grant. Launched in 2022, Vision 2030 is a university wide strategy to expand and enhance comprehensive global learning, teaching, research and engagement opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The Implementation Grant is administratively supported by Illinois International. 

Additional support was provided by the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) School of Social Work. Krannert Art Museum acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council.

Learn the skills of improvisation, including scene creation and team dynamics at Improve Your Improv on Thursdays, Aug. 21 through Oct. 2 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Music Barn.

Instructor Kyle Tasch returns to The Farms to teach this popular course, which will be jam-packed with improvisational fun that uses both short-form games and long-form scenes.

This will not be a class to sit down, hear lectures, and take notes.  Students will be performing as much as possible to emphasize the mechanics needed to act out an entertaining and meaningful scene on the spot with no lines. There are many elements of improv that are not only useful on stage, but also in everyday life – wherever you might be put on the spot!

Students who have already completed this class are welcome to join again. Beginners and those experienced in improv are all encouraged to join!

$100/person for the entire series here or $25/class at the links below. Registration will close on Aug. 18 for the entire series or two days before each subsequent class.

— Aug. 21
— Aug. 28
— Sept. 4
— Sept. 11
— Sept. 18
— Sept. 25
— Oct. 2

Learn more about the space where your course will take place here. If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email owarren@illinois.edu.

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken.

Join Mindfulness & Movement to experience an expertly led program, intentionally created to guide participants through mindfulness meditations and easy stretching exercises in a relaxing, virtual atmosphere! This six-week series takes place every Wednesday from 12:15pm-12:45pm, starting on September 3, 2025.  Registration closes on Wednesday, August 27 or when the class is full.

We ask that you enter at the gate on S. Lincoln near its intersection with E. Windsor. Parking will be available in the grass along the outside of the fence."