September 1, 2026

@michaelokun

The future of DBS is here, and the Rising Stars are ready! One of the things I am most excited about at this year’s DBS Think Tank is our 2026 Rising Stars Junior Investigator Challenge. On Friday, Sept. 4, from 1–3:30 p.m. Eastern Time, six exceptional early-career investigators from across the country will present bold and innovative ideas aimed at advancing deep brain stimulation and neuromodulation. The finalists are Wonkyung Choi, PhD, University of Pennsylvania; Nandini PS, University of California, Berkeley; Garance Meyer, PhD, Harvard; Matthew Baker, PhD, Mayo Clinic; Alexandra Steina, PhD, University of California, San Francisco; and Prerana Acharyya, University of Southern California. Each will present to a panel of DBS experts, followed by discussion and questions. The winner receives a $1,000 prize, and the top three will receive travel, accommodations and attendance for the 2027 DBS Think Tank. What excites me most is not the competition itself. It is getting a glimpse of where the next generation will take our field. And we are opening the doors virtually to everyone. The public is welcome to join us live and free on Zoom. Come hear the ideas, meet the Rising Stars and see what may be coming next in DBS. Register free to watch the Rising Stars Challenge live on Zoom; open to scientists, practitioners, engineers, persons w/ disease, families, industry, stakeholders... https://ufl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZMtLKhoHQrGzxuHTlaQgCg