Neurological Disorders by the Numbers
1 Billion
$1.6 Trillion
6.8 Million
People with Neurological
Disorders Globally
6.8 Million
$1.6 Trillion
6.8 Million
Deaths from Neurological
Disorders each Year
$1.6 Trillion
$1.6 Trillion
$1.6 Trillion
Combined Economic Burden in Europe and the USA alone
The PROBLEM
Lack of Biomarkers
Most brain disorders lack a biomarker (i.e, a way to measure disease progression). As a result, clinicians rely on subjective scales to measure efficacy of treatment which typically result in increased costs, poor patient outcomes, and years of time spent trying to find the right treatment.
Increased Costs while outcomes stagnant
A recent study showed that in the USA, direct costs related to Epilepsy have almost doubled in the last decade to $28B per year, while outcomes have not improved in almost three decades.
The Potential Benefits
Improving Outcomes
Improving Quality of Life
Improving Quality of Life
By helping clinicians get the data they need to identify the right treatments sooner.
Improving Quality of Life
Improving Quality of Life
Improving Quality of Life
Relieving patients and caregivers from the burden of self-reporting.
Reducing Costs
Improving Quality of Life
Reducing Costs
Reduce the number of costly visits to the hospital.
The Evidence
Proof of Concept: Completed
We completed a 30 patient proof-of-concept study which demonstrated that eye-tracking could be used to detect the subtlest seizure type, absence seizures.
DASEY Study (Ictal): Completed
Detecting Absence Seizures using Eye-tracking (DASEY): We have completed an in-depth clinical study supported by an NIH Phase 1 SBIR Grant involving 4 Level 4 Epilepsy Centers to analyze ictal eye-movement data and develop algorithms.
DASEY Study (Interictal): Completed
Supported by an NSF Phase 1 SBIR Grant we analyzed interictal eye-movement data and were able to show a correlation to subjects having active seizures.
DASHER Study: Planning
We have been awarded an NIH SBIR Phase I grant to compare the accuracy of 3 epileptologists reading a smartphone video recording during hyperventilation to 3 epileptologists reading the corresponding video EEG during hyperventilation. Stay tuned for more information on this study!
ACER Study: Planning
We have been awarded an SBIR Phase II grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for assessing comorbidities in epilepsy using eye movement recordings. Stay tuned for more information on this study!
Our Team
Rachel Kuperman, MD, Founder & CEO
Parth Amin, Co-Founder and COO
Parth Amin, Co-Founder and COO
Neurologist with dual certification in epilepsy and neurology with over 10 years’ experience directing the clinical epilepsy and research programs at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, Oakland
Parth Amin, Co-Founder and COO
Parth Amin, Co-Founder and COO
Parth Amin, Co-Founder and COO
Leads our Product Development efforts and GTM Strategy. Brings 15+ Years Medical Device Experience in Product and Project Management, Product Launch, and Alliances having worked at Siemens Healthineers, Varian, and Omnicell.
Jit Sarkar, PhD, Co-Founder and CTO
Parth Amin, Co-Founder and COO
Jit Sarkar, PhD, Co-Founder and CTO
Leads our eye-tracking research efforts . He completed his undergraduate degree in computer science and has deep experience applying machine learning methods. His PhD from UCSD focused on extracting signals from a complex medium.
Nate Blanco, Phd Data Scientist
Ying Yu, Phd Data Science Fellow
Jit Sarkar, PhD, Co-Founder and CTO
Leads the design and implementation efforts for our eye-tracking data science experiements. Brings experience in research, statistical analysis, and computational modeling in the field of cognitive neurosicience —most recently as a postdoctoral researcher in the Cognitive Development Lab at the Ohio State University.
Meghan Combs, Product Manager
Ying Yu, Phd Data Science Fellow
Ying Yu, Phd Data Science Fellow
Oversees our product lifecycle and ensures the voice of the customer is represented throughout. Brings 5+ years experience in product management and quality assurance for software based solutions.
Ying Yu, Phd Data Science Fellow
Ying Yu, Phd Data Science Fellow
Ying Yu, Phd Data Science Fellow
Supports the diesign and implementation of our eye-tracking data science experiments. Completed her Ph.D. from The Ohio State University in cognitive psychology, focusing on visual perception research with psychophysics and statistical modeling.
Our Advisors
Robert Fisher, MD, PhD Scientific Advisor
Robert Fisher, MD, PhD Scientific Advisor
Robert Fisher, MD, PhD Scientific Advisor
Dr. Fisher is Maslah Saul MD Professor and Director of the Stanford Epilepsy Center. He had research awards from the Klingenstein Foundation, EF, CURE and NIH. He published 160 peer-reviewed articles and 4 books. He was named 1996-2016 in Best Doctors in America. Dr. Fisher is Past-President of the American Epilepsy Society, and has
Dr. Fisher is Maslah Saul MD Professor and Director of the Stanford Epilepsy Center. He had research awards from the Klingenstein Foundation, EF, CURE and NIH. He published 160 peer-reviewed articles and 4 books. He was named 1996-2016 in Best Doctors in America. Dr. Fisher is Past-President of the American Epilepsy Society, and has served on the Board of the ILAE and as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal, Epilepsia. His research is on new devices to treat epilepsy.
Hal Blumenfeld, MD, PhD Scientific Advisor
Robert Fisher, MD, PhD Scientific Advisor
Robert Fisher, MD, PhD Scientific Advisor
Dr. Blumenfeld's clinical and research work focuses on epilepsy, cognition and brain imaging. He directs Yale's Clinical Neuroscience Imaging Center (CNIC), a new multi-disciplinary core facility for innovative study and treatment of brain disorders. Teaching activities include a textbook titled Neuroanatomy Through Clinical Cases, Sinauer Assoc., Publ. 2002, 2010.
Nicolle Napier-Ionascu, PsyD Scientific Advisor
Nicolle Napier-Ionascu, PsyD Scientific Advisor
Nicolle Napier-Ionascu, PsyD Scientific Advisor
Practicing neuropsychology for over 12 years. She is also the head Neuropsychologist in the Epilepsy department at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland.
Peter Milford, PhD Technical Advisor
Nicolle Napier-Ionascu, PsyD Scientific Advisor
Nicolle Napier-Ionascu, PsyD Scientific Advisor
Dr. Milford has over 15 years experience in developing high technology instrumentation. He was CTO of Eyefluence, which was developing the next generation eye-tracking wearable technology, up until October 2016, when purchased by Google. He continued to develop eye interaction and eye tracking for augmented reality (AR) and virtual real
Dr. Milford has over 15 years experience in developing high technology instrumentation. He was CTO of Eyefluence, which was developing the next generation eye-tracking wearable technology, up until October 2016, when purchased by Google. He continued to develop eye interaction and eye tracking for augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) headsets. He now serves as the President of Parallel Rules consulting firm.
Board
Randy Berholtz JD, MBA
Randy Berholtz JD, MBA
Randy Berholtz JD, MBA
Randy leverages his corporate experience, where he has held roles as a corporate and business development executive and as general counsel, to help nurture over 25 startups in healthcare from funding, to serving as a board of director to corporate and business development and strategic initiatives. He currently serves as a Partner for Ve
Randy leverages his corporate experience, where he has held roles as a corporate and business development executive and as general counsel, to help nurture over 25 startups in healthcare from funding, to serving as a board of director to corporate and business development and strategic initiatives. He currently serves as a Partner for Ventac Partners and a Senior Advisor for Mesa Partners. He is also a parent of a child with epilepsy.
Colin Lake
Randy Berholtz JD, MBA
Randy Berholtz JD, MBA
Colin is the Head of Digital Transformation Neurology at UCB Pharma, the global leaders in the field of epilepsy research and medicine development. Colin brings decades of global executive experience in pharma and digital health innovation. In his current role, Colin spearheads UCB’s efforts to improve the support for patients and key sta
Colin is the Head of Digital Transformation Neurology at UCB Pharma, the global leaders in the field of epilepsy research and medicine development. Colin brings decades of global executive experience in pharma and digital health innovation. In his current role, Colin spearheads UCB’s efforts to improve the support for patients and key stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem by driving UCB’s ambitious digital agenda. While currently living in the U.S., Colin is originally from the U.K. and has been fortunate enough to live and work in seven different countries.