By Todd Coleman (Stanford University)

Talk Abstract: In this talk, we will discuss efforts that have been developed to characterize wave-likemechanisms in the nervous systems of the brain anddigestive system. We willdiscusspatientswith disorders of the digestive system, which are challenging to diagnose/treat and comprise thesecond most common reason someone misses school or work after the common cold. With ourusage of multi-electrode abdominal human recordings that capture slow-wave neuromuscularelectrical activity of the digestive system, we will showcase recent findings suggesting thatoptimal transport theory in conjunction with robust statistics enables the separation of patientswith GI disorders into different etiologies,predictstreatment responses,and optimizestreatmentplans.We will thendiscuss the emerging field of the electrical basis of the gut-brain axis. In thisregard, we will describe recent techniqueswe have developed that combinestatistics, convexoptimization,and information theory to provide novel measures of the coupling betweenoscillations in the gut and brain.We willconclude with a summary of the knowns and unknownsin how multi-organ neurophysiologyresearch and systems-and information-theoretic thinkingmay create unique opportunities for the intersection of engineering, applied probability,neuroscience, and medicine.

Speaker Bio: Todd P. Coleman is an Associate Professor in the Department of Bioengineering, and by courtesy, Electrical Engineering at Stanford University. He received B.S. degrees in electrical engineering (summa cum laude), as well as computer engineering (summa cum laude) from the University of Michigan. He received M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from MIT in electrical engineering and computer science. He did postdoctoral studies at MIT and Mass General Hospital in quantitative neuroscience. He previously was a faculty member in the Departments of Electrical & Computer Engineering and Bioengineering at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and the University of California, San Diego, respectively. Dr. Coleman’s research is very multi-disciplinary, using tools from applied probability, physiology, and bioelectronics. Examples include, for instance, optimal transport methods in high-dimensional uncertainty quantification and developing technologies and algorithms to monitor and modulate physiology of the nervous systems in the brain and visceral organs. He has served as a Principal Investigator on grants from the NSF, NIH, Department of Defense, and multiple private foundations. Dr. Coleman is an inventor on 10 granted US patents. He has been selected as a Gilbreth Lecturer for the National Academy of Engineering, a TEDMED speaker, and a Fellow of IEEE as well as the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. He is currently the Chair of the National Academies Standing Committee on Biotechnology Capabilities and National Security Needs.