Jansen, E. Duco, Department of Biomedical Engineering

E. Duco Jansen, Ph.D.
Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Neurosurgery
5824 Stevenson Center
615-343-1911 (office)
duco.jansen@vanderbilt.edu

Dr. Jansen’s lab is focused on developing lasers and other optical technologies for use in medicine and biomedical research. In particular our work on optical stimulation of excitable tissues has received international attention. In this effort we use small infrared laser pulses as a high precision alternative to electrical stimulation to induce action potentials in nerves, neurons and other excitable tissues. Efforts include the investigation of the underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon, development of novel laser devices including implantable optical stimulators, development of laser-based prosthetic devices using the optical technology as the primary high precision neural interface. Active collaborations are in place with the Department of Otolaryngology at Northwestern University, the FES Center at Case Western University, the Neuroscience Dept at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam (The Netherlands) and Lockheed-Martin-Aculight (Bothell, WA).