Gerald E. Loeb
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Doctor of Medicine
Gerald E. Loeb | |
|---|---|
 Gerald E. Loeb portrait | |
| Born | 1948 (age 77–78) |
| Occupations | Researcher, biomedical engineer and academic |
| Academic background | |
| Education | Bachelor of Arts in Human Biology Doctor of Medicine |
| Alma mater | Johns Hopkins University |
| Academic work | |
| Institutions | University of Southern California |
| Website | Official website |
Gerald E. Loeb (born 1948) is an American biomedical engineer, neurophysiologist, and academic. He is a professor of biomedical engineering, neurology, and pharmacy at the University of Southern California (USC).[1]
Loeb's research focuses on neural prosthetics and sensorimotor control.[1] He contributed to early research on the cochlear implant, including design recommendations for low-cost systems, and developed technologies such as BION injectable neuromuscular stimulators and the BioTac biomimetic tactile sensor.[2][3][4][5] He has authored over 400 peer-reviewed articles and a book on electromyography.[1]
Loeb is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering[6] and the National Academy of Inventors.[7]
Loeb was born in 1948 in New Brunswick, New Jersey.[1]
He received a Bachelor of Arts in Human Biology in 1969 and a Doctor of Medicine in 1972 from Johns Hopkins University.[1] He completed a surgical internship at the University of Arizona from 1972 to 1973.[1]
Career
Loeb served at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the Laboratory of Neural Control from 1973 to 1988, advancing from research associate to chief of the Neurokinesiology Section.[1]
From 1988 to 1999, he was professor of physiology and director of the Bio-Medical Engineering Unit at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario.[1] From 1994 to 1999, he served as chief scientist (consulting) for Advanced Bionics Corporation.[1]
In 1999, Loeb joined USC as professor of biomedical engineering and director of the Medical Device Development Facility.[1] He has held secondary appointments in neurology since 2006 and pharmacy since 2008.[1]
Loeb was the founding CEO of SynTouch Inc. in 2008 and has served on its board of directors since then.[1]
Research
Loeb's research focuses on neural prosthetics, involving interfaces between electronic devices and the nervous system to restore sensory and motor functions.[5] In the 1990s, he participated in expert panels and contributed to designs for affordable multichannel cochlear implant systems.[3]
His group developed BIONs (BIOnic Neurons), miniature injectable, wirelessly powered stimulators for neuromuscular applications, including treatment of paralysis complications, with studies on recruitment, comfort, and clinical feasibility.[4][8] They also created the BioTac, a biomimetic tactile sensor commercialized by SynTouch Inc. for robotic and prosthetic applications.[5]
Loeb conducts neurophysiological studies of the sensorimotor nervous system and develops computer models to test control theories for functional electrical stimulation (FES) in paralyzed limbs and powered prosthetics.[5]
