Penumbra
President, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Penumbra
Adam co-founded Penumbra and has served as Chief Executive Officer and a member of our board of directors since our inception in 2004, as Chairman of our board of directors since January 2015. He resumed the role of President in May 2020, previously serving as President from January 2015 until August 2019. Prior to Penumbra, Adam led SMART Therapeutics, Inc., a medical device company focused on devices for neuro-intervention, as its Chief Executive Officer from 2000 to 2002 and, after its acquisition by Boston Scientific Corporation, President of SMART Therapeutics within Boston Scientific Corporation from 2002 to 2005. Before his work in the medical device industry, Adam was a partner in the law firm of Shartsis Friese LLP. He received a BA from Stanford University and a JD from Hastings College of the Law.
Veterans Health Administration
Anne Lord Bailey, PharmD, BCPS, is the Director for Clinical Tech Innovation for the VHA Innovation Ecosystem and serves as the lead for Immersive Technology. After completing her residency at Charles George VA Medical Center in Asheville, NC, Dr. Bailey spent 2 years focused on treating and curing Veterans with Hepatitis C. During that time she led a team of clinicians and piloted a mobile Hepatitis C Clinic for rural Veterans, an experience that greatly expanded Dr. Bailey’s passion for healthcare innovation. She continues to grow her knowledge and experience through coaching, collaborating, and networking in both healthcare innovation and direct patient care. Since joining the VHA Innovation Ecosystem, Dr. Bailey has worked diligently to expand the use of extended reality across VHA in part by co-creating and co-leading VHA’s Extended Reality (XR) network. The XR network has grown from 1 VA facility to over 100, with over 500 VA employees who are either using or interested in using XR to improve the lives and care of Veterans. In addition, she is also a Board-Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist.
Johnson & Johnson
Dr. Benz is the Associate Director of Clinical Research for Robotics & Digital Solutions, Johnson & Johnson MedTech. She was previously a Staff Fellow at the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, where held positions in both the Center for Devices and Radiological Health and the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. She led research programs to accelerate patient access and improve study design for augmented- and virtual-reality devices, advanced neural prosthetics, and neurostimulators. Dr. Benz has also lectured for the Johns Hopkins University Applied Biomedical Engineering program. She received a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University and a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University.
University of Miami – School of Nursing and Health Studies
Director of Clinical and Nurse Anesthesia Program, University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies. Dr. Vladinov earned a Bachelors Degree in Science of Nursing from California State University Northridge, a Masters in Science of Nursing with Specialty in Anesthesia from Florida International University and a Doctoral of Nursing Practice from University of Miami.
Her academic interests are in the area of students’ clinical performance evaluation and simulation education. Latest interests are in the areas of Virtual and Augmented Reality simulation for anesthesia training. She has numerous publications and presentations on the topic on national and international meetings.
Dr. Vladinov is one of the founders of the simulation sub-committee of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists and is currently serving as the chair of the committee. She has been involved with the Society of Simulation in Healthcare and with the Anesthesia Section and has served as abstract reviewer and faculty for Professor Rounds in the International Meeting for Simulation in Healthcare for a number of years. She is a reviewer with the Society for Simulation in Healthcare Research Committee for Most Influential Articles in Healthcare Simulation.
St Louis Children’s Hospital
Jennifer N Avari Silva, MD, FHRS, FACC, FAHA
Director, Pediatric Electrophysiology, St Louis Children’s Hospital
Faculty Fellow in Entrepreneurship, Washington University in St Louis
Professor, Pediatrics and Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St Louis
Co-Founder & Chief Medical Officer, Sentiar, Inc
Co-Founder & Consultant, Excera, Inc.
Jennifer Silva is Director of Pediatric Electrophysiology and a Professor of Pediatrics and Biomedical Engineering at Washington University School of Medicine/St. Louis Children’s Hospital, and serves as the Faculty Fellow in Entrepreneurship for Washington University SOM. She serves on committees within the Heart Rhythm Society (Chair, Women in Electrophysiology; Vice-Chair, Growth and Leadership Opportunity for Women in Electrophysiology; Production Team, HRX; Member, Membership Committee) and Pediatric and Congenital Electrophysiology Society (Member, Finance Committee), and serves on the NIH-SBIR study section for Cardiovascular Innovation. Jennifer also serves on the Editorial Board of Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, Heart Rhythm O2, and Cardiovascular Digital Health journals.
The scope of her research has been in innovation and emerging technologies with on developing and identifying clinical applications of new and emerging technologies within cardiac electrophysiology, particularly in the scope of wearable and advanced wearable technologies, including the extended realities.
Jennifer is the co-inventor and co-founder of SentiAR, Inc, a venture-backed software device spinout from Washington University which is developing the first mixed reality platform to display intraprocedural 3-dimensional holographic visualization of a patient’s cardiac anatomy with real time catheter locations with submission to the FDA in 2019. In 2018, the company received a NIH-SBIR award for $2.2M and in 2021 closed a $5.1M Series A Round. Most recently, she has co-founded a second company, Excera, Inc. which aims to improve outcomes for ultrasound-guided minimally invasive procedures. She has worked with several medical device companies including AliveCor, St Jude Medical/Abbott, Medtronic and Biosense Webster regarding development and implementation of novel technologies targeted to unmet clinical needs and development of regulatory pathways.
jennifersilva@wustl.edu
jen@sentiar.com
Vanderbilt University
Dr. Susanna Rudy is an Emergency Nurse Practitioner, holding certifications as an Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner and Emergency Nurse Practitioner. Additionally, her previous graduate work in Forensic Science, humanitarian and disaster medicine expands her emergency practice roles.
Clinically, Dr. Rudy has more than 30 years of nursing experience within emergency departments, critical care settings and maintains current clinical practice as an advanced practice nurse. Following graduation from Vanderbilt’s ENP program, she attended an Emory University Fellowship for Critical Care in Advanced Practice Nursing. Her doctoral work focused on the development of a standardized national, post-graduate emergency care fellowship.
Dr. Rudy has academic interest and a specialty focus training in point of care ultrasound. She developed and coordinates’ the Introduction to Point of Care Ultrasound for the Advanced Practice Provider course at Vanderbilt’s School of Nursing. Dr. Rudy lectures and teaches ultrasound workshops for the American Academy of Emergency Nurse Practitioners and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She serves on the ultrasound education committees for the AAENP as well as the Society of Critical Care Medicine, which she serves as junior faculty. In 2021, project work utilizing virtual reality in ultrasound education received International recognition, earning Platinum for the Learn X Awards for Best VR Hard Skills Training Project, the Learning Technologies shortlist for Best use of simulations or virtual environments, and a GOLD Brandon Hall Group HCM Excellence Award for Best use of virtual worlds for learning.
Khora
Dr Shiraz is the Chief Scientific Officer at Khora, based in Copenhagen Denmark.
She has a PhD in Psychology and over 20 years of applied experience within the mental health sector globally, in research and in a clinical context.
Farah takes leading role in the CHALLENGE product that KHORA has developed using innovative software to aid therapy for people who suffer from auditory hallucinations, specifically, patients with schizophrenia who are hearing malevolent voices.
She will be building the scientific evidence for CHALLENGE by leading and conducting additional trials internationally. In addition, Dr Shiraz will be expanding on the development of applications of VR within the health and mental health field.
Originally from the UK, Dr Shiraz has previously been working as an Assistant Professor at the National University of Singapore where she was the department lead for promoting and developing global research projects for mental health research across S.E. Asia. She is an expert in mental health, research methods, and psychopathology.
She is passionate about being involved in using Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality to improve people’s mental health, constantly pushing the boundaries of what the technology can do.
Over the years I have seen the changes within the mental health field and I am passionate about being involved in the utilisation of new innovative methods within the field, specifically the use of virtual and augmented reality technology.
BehaVR
Risa Weisberg, Ph.D. is the Chief Clinical Officer at BehaVR, inc. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and renowned expert in cognitive-behavioral therapy. She is a Professor of Psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine and an Adjunct Professor of Family Medicine at Brown University. Dr. Weisberg is a Fellow and former member of the Board of Directors of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy. She sits on the Scientific Council of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, where she recently served two terms on the Board of Directors. Prior to joining BehaVR, she was the Assistant Chief of Psychology at the VA Boston Healthcare System.
Dr. Weisberg is an active and prolific research career, having been continually funded through 18 grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Veteran's Administration, and other research foundations for the last two decades. She is a frequent grant reviewer for NIH and international scientific funding agencies. She has authored or co-authored approximately 90 journal articles, book chapters, and books. Her research focuses on developing and evaluating brief, more accessible, interventions for common mental and behavioral health problems, including anxiety, depression, chronic pain, substance use disorders, and living with other chronic medical problems.
Morehouse College
Muhsinah L. Holmes Morris, Ph.D is the former Interim Department Chair/Assistant Professor of Chemistry and is now in the Department of Education and Assistant Professor of Education for the Center of Morehouse Center for Excellence in Education (MCEE) at Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA. Dr. Morris is Morehouse College’s 2021 Winner of the Vulcan Teaching Award of Excellence. She is an alumna of Clark Atlanta University (B.S.) and Emory University (M.S. & PhD). Her research interests focus on inclusion in STEM for the neurodiverse. She is the Principal Investigator (PI) of the VR Project, “Morehouse in the Metaverse”. She launched her Advanced Inorganic Chemistry course in Virtual Reality in the Spring of 2021. She is a pioneer in this space as the chemistry content in VR is limited. She is the wife of a gamer/techie named Chris and mom of 5 sons, Anthony, Matthew, Christopher, Seth and Cameron. She believes VR provides a pathway for creating inclusion in society for the neurodivergent through immersive educational experiences that more specifically target vocational rehabilitation goals. As a member of the Autism Speaks Community Advisory Council, Advocacy Ambassadors, and Grant Review Committee, Dr. Morris sheds light on the issues that affect the 1 in 44 children and 1 in 45 adults on the autism spectrum. Her teaching philosophy centers around building a rapport with students before asking them to perform, and she infuses metacognitive goals as part of her learning objectives in the classroom to help students persist through their educational experiences. She is affectionately known as Dr. M.O.M. (Molder of Minds) by all her students. She continues to mold the minds of educators and students globally in the Metaverse. Her future is authentic transformation of the educational system for our future leaders using immersive technologies in the Metaverse. As a matter of fact, she is on the Future of XR Advisory Council with the XR Association, a global council of thought leaders helping to shape the Metaverse.
Simon Fraser University
Professor Gromala holds the Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Computational Technologies for Transforming Pain and is the founding director of the Chronic Pain Research Institute. Gromala has supervised over 70 PhD, MSc, MA, and MFA committees in areas ranging from Computer Science and Engineering to Communications, Design and Interactive Art.
Research Interests
– New tools, interaction design & intraface design that address multiple facets of chronic diseases, including chronic pain
– Health Informatics, BioMedia, BioTechnologies
– Contemporary philosophies of experience; embodiment, interoception, neuroplasticity
– Visualization: medical visualization, personal visual analytics for patients
– Design of Calming Technologies & Intrafaces from Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) to mobile & handheld devices
– Speculative Design at the confluence of HCI, Engineering, Humanities & Interaction Design
National Institutes of Health
Associate Investigator
Head of the Communication Attitudes and Behavior Unit
Immersive Virtual Environment Testing Area (IVETA) National Human Genome Research Institute
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Susan Persky is an Associate Investigator, Head of the Communication Attitudes and Behavior Unit, and directs the Immersive Virtual Environment Testing Area (IVETA) within the Social and Behavioral Research Branch at the National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Persky earned a B.A. in psychology from Northwestern University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara where she studied at the Research Center for Virtual Environments and Behavior. After conducting postdoctoral research at Columbia University, she came to the NIH in 2005. Dr. Persky splits her effort between providing leadership for the IVETA and conducting her programmatic research. Her work investigates the function of new genomic knowledge about common conditions like obesity in interactions between health care providers and patients, and in public and online discourse. She draws upon virtual reality and other technologically-oriented tools to conduct her research.
YESUNIVERSE
Lady PheØnix is a leading voice for contemporary digital art and culture, providing an essential platform for the art and artists of our time. As a passionate producer of creative works at the intersection of art and technology she is deeply interested in the relationship between humanity, virtual worlds and virtual beings. She was selected to participate in the 2021 Athens Biennale for her work AIYA. Inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray, AIYA is not your typical virtual human. AIYA was designed to explore the concept of heightened humanity from a lens often ignored in popular culture. Lady PheØnix organized the landmark digital exhibition Proof Of Sovereignty, Christie’s first curated NFT auction. She is the founder of YESUNIVERSE, a creative studio and UNIVERSE CONTEMPORARY, the premier cryptomedia company elevating art and culture in the metaverse.
Veterans Health Administration
Caitlin Rawlins, BSN, RN, drives innovation at VHA as the Innovation Specialist for the Western North Carolina VA Health Care System and as co-lead of the VHA Extended Reality (XR) Network. Ms. Rawlins has over 10 years’ experience in nursing, the last 5 of which she served as a registered nurse with the VA. After joining the VA, Ms. Rawlins noted a lack of non-pharmacological options for pain and anxiety in clinical settings. This experience triggered her exploration of Virtual Reality (VR) for use with post-operative patients, and, in 2017, Ms. Rawlins initiated VA’s first distraction-focused VR program for pain and anxiety management in Veteran populations. Since then, Ms. Rawlins has received grants through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Pathway Award and investments through VHA Innovators Network. Additionally, in 2021, she became a VHA Shark Tank winner, which will allow her to expand VR use and support more Veterans in need. As co-lead of the VHA XR Network, she serves as the field expert for implementing XR modalities across all VA, consulting with VA sites across the country in the development of XR programs.
MyndVR
Vice President of Market Development, Jessica Benson entered the world of virtual reality (VR) while establishing a grant-funded program delivering VR to patients and their families. The initiative’s mission was to help relieve pain and stress associated with medical treatment and hospital stays. Benson knew that virtual experiences would provide significant relief for users and was inspired to launch Immersive Cure - a VR startup focusing on Veterans, hospice, and palliative care organizations.
Since then, Jessica successfully exited Immersive Cure and has become a spokesperson for virtual reality and its applications for the elderly market. She has appeared in Crain’s, Modern Healthcare, Akron Legal News, TechOhio, Voice of America, and has been profiled on ABC, Spectrum 1 News, and a variety of radio stations and podcasts. Jessica has also spoken on panels for The University of Akron’s National Science Foundation I-Corps Cohort and Global Silicon Valley Startup Bootcamp.
Meta
Laura Kusumoto is a California-based technology innovator, driving the integration of XR technology into the way Meta team members work every day.
Throughout her career, Laura has excelled at busting through the hype to harness the true value of emerging technologies. Prior to her time at Meta, her work with major brands including Deloitte, Disney, Kaiser Permanente, LEGO, and Intuit, leveraged her deep experience as a leader, analyst, and innovator. Her work paved the way for first-mover products such as digital assistants in health care, immersive avatar-based training, automated project planning, and much more. While Laura is fueled by inspiration, she is also grounded in practicality, having learned through many projects that the path between ideas and business value is best traveled with rigor.
Project SANDI
Tammy Westergard has advanced job recovery, STEM learning, career credentialing, and workforce training adapted to Nevada’s economic needs. Her work to modernize workforce programs through deployment of virtual reality resources in healthcare has led to grant funding for new job seeker services. As Project Coordinator for the US Department of Education’s Reimagine Workforce Preparation Grant Program her multiyear charter includes additional integration of 3D and virtual reality content to advance labor market literacy. Through Nevada’s public libraries equitable access to these powerful resources to upskill into living wage jobs is amplified. Prior to this, Tammy served as Nevada State Librarian and Division Administrator at the Nevada State Library, Archives and Public Records and was named the Nevada Library Association’s 2020 Librarian of the Year. Tammy is a member of the American Library Association, Public Library Association, Nevada Library Association, Association of Records Managers and Administrators, and a member of Beta Phi Mu International Library & Information Studies Honor Society. She also serves as an International Advisory Board Member for the Vaclav Havel Library Foundation.
Embodied Labs
Carrie Cusker is a fervent advocate for older adults and their care partners. In her role as the Learning Design Specialist at Embodied Labs, Carrie draws on her 25 years of nursing experience to create meaningful, immersive content that encompasses both the clinical and human aspects of healthcare. Recently completing a Master’s degree in Dementia Sciences at the University of Hull, Carrie continues to challenge the social construction of aging. She has lent her voice to multiple conferences and webinar panels in efforts to inform, inspire, and celebrate innovation in aging services.
MieronVR
Jessica Maslin is the co-founder and President of @mieronvr, innovators of Virtual Reality NeuroTherapy for rehabilitation, physical therapy & pain management.
Mieron is helping patients around the world Achieve More mobility, independence and quality of life through targeted VRNT exercises covering upper & lower body mobility, core stability and gait training modules based in the principles of PT, OT, locomotive training and neuroplasticity.
The Mieron library is appropriate for all levels of mobility, and can be used on its own or paired with other hardware such as FES and gait training equipment for in-patient and out-patient rehabilition of SCI, TBI, and other musculoskeletal disorders.
Jessica has worked in research fields with a background in Chemistry, Applied Sciences, and has published research utilizing Bone Morphogenic Protein (rh-BMP2) in expanded case uses for regenerating bone post trauma. Her analytical and product development skills have been applied in medicine, sports, and technology.
Entrepreneurial spirit and a drive for innovating technology has allowed Jessica to enter business ventures in commercial production, media, application development, VR technology, and digital trends. Jessica is a unique blend of science-meets-creative; with keen research and analytical skills driving the evolution of technology solutions to help change everyday life.
Immersive Worlds
Colleen Reilly has been a leader in the well-being industry for over 23 years. She is the Senior Vice President of Business Development for ImmersiveWorlds, a VR technology platform providing an immersive experience to enhance mental and physical well-being in the healthcare and well-being industry. She served on the Board for Wellness Councils of America (WELCOA). Her experience spans time spent at Accenture, Coors Brewing Company, Mayo Clinic, and Nelnet. Colleen founded Total Well-Being in 2008 and sold in 2016. Total Well-Being was one of the nation’s leading providers of corporate well-being consulting and a SaaS well-being platform. Some of her clients included the State of Arizona, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Molson Coors, and Keurig Green Mountain.
Colleen Reilly holds a bachelor’s degree in Combined Science (Chemistry/Biology/Physics) from Santa Clara University and a Master of Business Administration and Master of Science Management with an emphasis in sports and wellness management from the University of Denver. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Business with a focus on ImmersiveWorld Technology and Corporate Well-being. She is a monthly contributor to Forbes and is an adjunct faculty teaching the 4th Industrial Revolution for Entrepreneurs at Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver. She is certified in yoga, group fitness as well as wellness, and life coaching.
XR Association
Elizabeth Hyman is the Chief Executive Officer of the XR Association (XRA), the trade association representing the technology manufacturers that power the virtual, augmented, and mixed reality industries. XRA is dedicated to the responsible development and thoughtful advancement of XR technologies across the globe.
Prior to joining XRA, Hyman served as Executive Vice President of Public Advocacy at the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), where she led the association’s outreach to members of Congress, the Executive Branch, and other international, federal, state, and local government institutions that shape and influence public policies affecting the IT industry.
Hyman brings more than two decades of experience in the worlds of government, policy, and technology. She began her career in government, including positions at the U.S. Department of Justice, Executive Office of the President, and Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and has experience in the private sector both in the practice of law and in business.
Hyman is a graduate of Tufts University, completed the General Course program at the London School of Economics, and holds a law degree from the Washington College of Law at American University.
Queen's University Belfast
I’m a Belfast based Film maker and Film Practice Lecturer working in live action Virtual Reality for the Health and Social Care space with particular interest in the effects of emotional trauma, including the Mental Abuse Matters Project. My work has covered shorts, features, news, drama series and documentaries for broadcasters worldwide, and for cinema and digital release. My book Running a Creative Company in the Digital Age was released in 2017 and I’ve also produced branded content, digital education projects and industry events. My work as producer has won BAFTA and RTS awards, I founded and ran production company Mandrake Films and have since co-founded Darkley Films . I’m a lecturer in film practice at Queens University, co-founded Docs Ireland and am on the board of the Belfast Film Festival, a member of the Centre For Documentary Research and an Industry rep on the Creative Clusters UKRI.
Sinceri Senior Living
Kayla joined the Sinceri Senior Living team in February 2021, bringing over 35 years of experience in the healthcare industry ranging from clinical to operations and business development. Her love for seniors began in her high school days working as a certified nursing assistant. She graduated from the Mankato State University nursing program and obtained her nursing license in 1982. Kayla’s passion for the last 18 years has been to improve the lives of those with Alzheimer’s disease. Kayla’s vast accomplishments include the development and global rollout of the Moments in Time® Alzheimer’s and memory care program now successfully used in over 70 communities in the United States and throughout China, as well as the development and global rollout of the Life Enrichment activity program used in over 100 communities nationwide and internationally. Kayla serves as a keynote speaker in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease, both in the U.S. and abroad.
Joanna Popper is an award-winning Hollywood and Silicon Valley media executive with a track record of launching cutting edge content and technology to drive revenue, audience engagement and brand love.
She currently leads HP’s XR initiatives for Go-To-Market. Prior she was EVP of Media & Marketing at Singularity University and VP Marketing at NBCUniversal.
Joanna is Executive Producer on “Breonna’s Garden” which premiered at the Tribeca Festival and Art Basel/ Filmgate Interactive. This augmented reality experience was created by Lady PhoEnix and Sutu with Ju’Niyah Palmer to honor the life of her sister, Breonna Taylor. The experience has been honored with the Best Social Impact Auggie Award by Augmented World Expo, Best Impact Award by Filmgate Interactive and an Aurea Award for Top 50 Immersive Experience.
Joanna was Executive Producer on Double Eye Studios’ “Finding Pandora X,” winner of Venice Film Festival Golden Lion for Best VR Experience and the SXSW Audience Award for Virtual Cinema Spotlight. Finding Pandora X is a modern day take on Greek mythology live interactive experience in VRChat.
Joanna was selected as “50 Women Can Change the World in Media and Entertainment,” “Top 50 Original Thinkers in VR,” “Top Women in Media: Game Changers,” “Top Women in Media: Industry Leaders,” “Digital It List,” “101 Women Leading the VR Industry” and is on the Coalition for the Women in XR Fund.
VRforHealth
Denise Silber is a digital health pioneer, strategist, author, and social media influencer, on a mission to improve the quality of care through the awesome combination of digital health deployment, patient participation, and communication A former senior pharmaceutical executive turned eHealth entrepreneur, Denise founded Basil Strategies communications agency in 2001, launched the international Doctors 2.0 & You conferences in 2011, and co-founded VRforHealth in 2020.
Denise brings to VRforHealth her strategic vision of the role of Virtual Reality in transforming prevention and care, the expression of this vision on and offline as a writer and speaker, and her global network. An ex-New Yorker in Paris, Denise Silber has worked on three continents and is fluent in French and Spanish. In 2011, Denise was awarded the French Legion of Honor, France’s highest civilian honor, for her contribution to eHealth and patient engagement and in 2018, was named to the #InspiringFifty women in tech. A Harvard MBA, Denise hosts podcasts for Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs, is vice-president of the Harvard Club of France, and Secretary-General of FNIM professional association.
Viva Vita
Carleigh Berryman is an international virtual reality in healthcare expert. She has been a featured speaker at conferences across the U.S. and abroad and is a featured author of the book "Applied Virtual Reality in Healthcare: Case Studies and Perspectives." Carleigh is recognized for her work and history in establishing her company Viva Vita, which has delivered virtual reality to thousands of seniors across the country for better quality of life and mental wellness.
VRpatients
Tracy Chesney, PhD(c), MSN-Ed, RN, CNE, CHSE, CHSOS is the Nursing Product Supervisor & SME with VRpatients in the development of VR Nursing scenarios which run with both 2D and 3D equipment. She is a recognized leader, expert, and speaker in Simulation at the national and state level; chosen by the National League of Nursing in the Leadership Development in Simulation program (Cohort 2 in 2011), serving in the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (Nursing Section), serving in the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) as Co-Chair of the Virtual Reality SIG, and on the Board of Directors of the Arizona Simulation Network.
Tracy has 21 years of academic simulation experience. In addition to being a Nursing Educator, she has consulted in simulation lab program development, in the initial development of computer-based (2D) virtual simulation scenarios, collaborated in interprofessional simulation experience development, served as a scenario contributor and judge in cross-campus collaboration events, integrated three-dimensional (3D) head-set based virtual reality (VR) into curriculum, and developed twenty-eight 3D VR scenarios, including community health.
In 2018, Tracy designed/built the first 10-station 3D Virtual Immersive Reality Laboratory (VIRL) in Nursing Education in Arizona, added a 22-station 3D VIRL lab in 2020 and in 2021, aided in designing/implementing the first 15-station 3D VIRL lab in New Mexico. She holds a BSN and MSN-Ed from the University of New Mexico and is completing a dissertation for a PhD in Nursing at Duquesne University.
Primal Pictures
Lorna has been part of the Primal Pictures/Anatomy.tv team for 20 years, joining after studying Anatomy and Human Biology at Liverpool University. Now Primal’s Product Director, she leads the Product teams and is responsible for maintaining the integrity of the software model and portfolio. She also develops product strategy and the future roadmap to ensure Primal always provides maximum value to both prospective and existing clients.
Oxford VR
Deepak Gopalakrishna, CEO of Oxford VR is a highly accomplished customer-centric innovator. A seasoned entrepreneur with deep expertise in healthcare, AI, blockchain and digital innovation, he has founded and led the growth of 7 companies that are in aggregate worth >$500M. With an MBA and a doctorate in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Deepak has the unique ability to merge the rigor of a scientist with the creativity of an entrepreneur. Prior to OxfordVR, he helped scale The Boston Consulting Group’s Digital Ventures studio to 1000+ people & 100+ portfolio companies. He founded healthcare startups spanning biotech to data science. In addition, he spent several years funding early stage health innovation.
In his prior life, he was a geneticist and academic who researched and published on the molecular basis of congenital disorders.
Hoag Memorial Hospital
Robert G Louis, MD, FAANS, Dr Louis is Empower360 Endowed Chair for Skull Base and Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery and Director of the Skull Base and Pituitary Tumor Program at the Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute at Hoag Memorial Hospital. His expertise includes endoscopic and minimally invasive treatment of benign and malignant brain tumors, sellar and parasellar tumors and skull base tumors. Through the use of cutting-edge neuroimaging and neuro-navigational equipment, he utilizes the concept of keyhole neurosurgery, minimizing the damage to surrounding brain, vascular and soft tissue structures. This approach has been demonstrated to decrease post-operative pain, minimize neurologic complications and shorten the length of hospitalization, resulting in better outcomes for his patients.
Since 2015, Dr Louis has been involved with the development and implementation of Virtual and Augmented Reality technologies for pre-operative simulation and rehearsal and intraoperative navigation. The 3-D VR/AR platform is provided by Surgical Theater and was developed based on flight simulator technology from F-16 fighter jets. This technology allows the surgeons to literally rehearse complicated operations in virtual reality; affording them the opportunity to visualize critical anatomy and navigate potential pitfalls. The results are making the operations safer and more effective for patients. Under his guidance, the Pickup Family Neuroscience Institute has become the highest volume center for Augmented Reality in Neurosurgery in the United States and is now nationally ranked in the top 1% of all hospitals for Neurology and Neurosurgery.
Motlow State Community College
President
Motlow State Community College
Dr. Michael Torrence is the president of Motlow State Community College. The college has campuses in Smyrna, Sparta, Tullahoma, McMinnville and Fayetteville, Tennessee. He has spent his career embracing the use of technological literacy as a platform to increase student access, engagement and success. He has served as the Co-Chairperson for TNeCampus, a Tennessee Board of Regents statewide team leader for the integration of Emerging Technology and Mobilization in the areas of Gaming, VR, AR, and MR into teaching and learning. He has trained faculty, students, executives, and community members and developed immersive curriculum focused on STEAMB (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art/Aviation, Mathematics, and Business focused on Entrepreneurship) for all grade levels and utilized these platforms teaching undergraduate and graduate students in his own classes where VR and entrepreneurship is a norm. Currently, he is researching and developing a platform for OER through support of Hewlett-Packard and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in addition to meeting workforce needs through traditional and emerging needs, such as, AI, and Voice Technology, Mechatronics, Allied Health, Vision System, and the Automation Robotics Training Center. He earned a doctor of philosophy degree, with a major in exceptional learning, at Tennessee Tech University, and master of arts and bachelor of arts degrees at South Dakota State University, both with a major in English. Michael is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, serving as a senior airman from 1992 to 1996.
SimforHealth
Xavier is Chief International Development Officer at SimforHealth.
Virtual solutions for Medical Education is the base line of SimforHealth’s activity.
With a very strong focus on new technologies, especially AR and VR, implemented in several organizations, Xavier has a solid knowledge of the Health markets and their trends.
With more than 30 years of experience in the medical field, including several senior management positions and consultancy, Xavier holds a strong experience in Small and Medium Enterprises development. Xavier has been elected in 2022 as VP of the French South West Health Cluster “ALLIS-NA”.
Varjo
Geoff Bund is Head of Software Partnerships for North America at Varjo. He was the first US employee at Varjo and brought the Finnish company to the US market beginning in late 2018. Geoff established Varjo’s initial businesses in training, automotive, manufacturing and healthcare. He is now focused on growing Varjo’s software and partner ecosystem.
Geoff has been working exclusively in virtual reality hardware and technology for seven years. He founded a VR production house and consultancy, Digital Quilt in 2013 that provided services to a variety of clients exploring virtual reality including Starbreeze Studios and The University of Texas at Austin.
In 2015 Geoff was hired as the third US employee in the Nokia VR program and helped develop and launch the OZO. The OZO was the first dedicated professional VR camera capture system. He worked as part of both the product and content relations team leading and producing VR, MR and volumetric capture productions in addition to developing productized hardware accessories for the camera itself. In this capacity, Geoff also technically supervised numerous live and award-winning VR productions including Dancing with The Stars, Austin City Limits, and The Argos File.
Before focusing on virtual reality, Geoff led 3D camera teams on major motion pictures such as The Amazing Spiderman and Dawn of The Planet of The Apes.
Geoff is passionate about finding useful applications for cutting edge technology and is excited to be presenting at IVRHA.
Lumeto
Raja is CEO and Co-Founder of Lumeto Inc., an immersive learning company focused on expanding access to simulation in the health and safety sectors. Lumeto uses spatial technologies, AI, and motion capture to build its advanced platform for immersive training and assessment. The platform, Involve XR, provides open and flexible simulation scenarios that institutions and instructors can customize and deploy for synchronous or asynchronous remote learning, allowing them to augment or replace elements of existing simulation training systems. Involve XR is currently in pilot testing with hospitals and universities across North America and will be rolled out widely in 2022. Early pilot results indicate the system is an effective bridge between didactic learning and clinical practise, driving improved learning outcomes. Raja is a serial entrepreneur based in Toronto, Canada where he has co-founded and built multiple global technology companies.
University of Kansas
Chris Tacca is a current bioengineering PhD candidate and 2018 - 2022 Madison and Lila Self Graduate Fellow at the University of Kansas researching the efficacy of virtual reality based therapy systems for isolated populations struggling with depression and anxiety. The research focuses on a common factors approach to remote therapeutic healing, specifically how to develop virtual reality experiences utilizing neurofeedback to enhance the therapeutic environment and therapeutic alliance during psychotherapy. His passion for this research comes from seeing the hurt of those close to him struggling with mental illnesses as well as a lifetime of love for designing and creating new things that can help people. Over the last four years of working on this research, he has shadowed many professional counselors, learned from experts in the field of psychology, developed a fully functioning VR psychotherapy prototype, and completed an initial proof of concept study to assess the system. His goal for this research is to make compassionate and effective mental healthcare more accessible to isolated populations. And his goal throughout his career is to bring that same inspiration into developing medical solutions that work for patients in every aspect of their lives.
18Loop
Greg Tarnacki is the CEO and Founder of 18Loop, a 501(c)(3) GuideStar Platinum nonprofit that deploys Virtual Reality (VR) in order to help pediatric oncology patients tolerate treatment, recover and thrive. 18Loop is a Fast Company Honorable Mention World Changing Idea 2021. Greg is focused on public service, especially where technology can be leveraged for the greater good.
Greg spent almost 20 years in technology sales working on network infrastructure, business intelligence, cloud and IT consulting initiatives with clients like ABN Amro, Bloomberg, Bristol Myers Squibb, CBS, Ernst and Young, Goldman Sachs and the New York Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC). He founded CloudScience Group, a Value Added Reseller of boutique cloud solutions focused on the Virtual Private Data Center.
After his last role in private sector technology sales, Greg joined Americorps. In Americorps, he served a volunteer year helping Opportunity Youth in Newark, NJ prepare for college and careers in its ServiceWorks program. This service, combined with his volunteer work at University Community Social Services Meatloaf Kitchen on New York’s lower East Side was the catalyst for founding a nonprofit. 18Loop is the culmination of all Greg has learned about the technology sector and service to the community.
Greg earned a Bachelor’s Degree (BA) from Seton Hall University, and holds certificates from MIT (Artificial Intelligence) and Oxford (Blockchain). He sits on the Advisory Panel for the Design Thinking Program at the Lubin School of Business (Pace University). Currently, his learning focus is on Data Science and Spatial Computing. Greg is a HIMSS-NJ member and lives and works in Rutherford, NJ. He is HIPAA certified.
Prodigy Anesthesia / Simvana
A resident of Huntsville, AL, Peter Stallo is the President of Prodigy Anesthesia, an anesthesia educational software company. He also serves as Healthcare Simulation Lead for Simvana, a virtual reality (VR) healthcare simulation platform. He has been published in the Visual Basic Programmer's Journal, Keyframe 3D animation journal, and Lightwave 3D animation journal. He also holds the 2001 National Telly award for 3D computerized medical animation. Peter is currently researching the viability of procedural simulation within VR as part of his studies in the graduate program in healthcare simulation in the School of Health Professions at UAB.
GigXR
David King Lassman is an entrepreneur with over 25 years’ experience in the EdTech and Digital Content spaces. As CEO of GigXR, he leads teams across three continents, building and driving innovation in eXtended Reality (XR) learning and training. The GigXR platform is a distribution system for holographic content used in immersive training to drive learning outcomes and for retraining. The platform’s growing catalogue of applications includes HoloHuman and HoloPatient which is deployed in institutions worldwide, including hospitals, medical and nursing schools. GigXR was recently awarded Gold Status in Microsoft’s Mixed Reality Partner Program. David’s first company, Doublestruck Ltd (UK), provided teacher support software products to over 95% of the UK school market. In 1999, he founded Connextra Ltd, a UK-based Internet business providing online marketing and advertising solutions. David has recently been at the forefront of the flourishing Southern California startup ecosystem, founding and supporting startups while growing his fund, Whitehart Ventures.
Madison College
William T. Ballo (Bill) was born and raised in St Petersburg Florida, he started his EMS career as a student at St Petersburg College in 1996. Bill has been involved in multiple facets of EMS (EMT ,Paramedic, EMD, CE Instructor, FTO, and Full-Time EMS Educator). Bill holds a Master's Degree in Public Health (focus in Disaster Management) from the University of South Florida, a Bachelor's Degree in Telecommunications from the University of Florida as well as two Associate’s degrees, and certificate in Community Paramedicine. In 2019 Bill was selected as the EMS Instructor of the Year for the State of Wisconsin by the Wisconsin EMS Association; Bill’s nomination for the award came directly from his students. Bill was the Lead Paramedic Instructor and Paramedic Program Director until accepting his new role as Faculty in the Academic Technology wing of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) at Madison College in Madison WI. Bill is a Pioneer in remote EMS education including Virtual Reality and is now putting his skills and knowledge to use throughout all of Madison College with the CETL.
Mudd Law
Charles Lee Mudd Jr. is the founder and principal of Mudd Law, a firm recognized internationally for its Internet and space focused litigation and transactional practice. For more than twenty years, Charles and his firm have represented clients with issues at the forefront of Internet technology, including virtual and augmented reality. He is a member of the International Institute of Space Law (IISL). As a corollary to representing space law clients, he advocates developing inclusive and sustainable space policy. In this context, he has attended and spoken at United Nations conferences on Space Law and Policy; served on working groups for both SATCON and Dark & Quiet Skies conferences; provided testimony; and, filed comments on regulatory filings. He serves on the IISL Working Group on Light Pollution of the Night Sky from a Space law Perspective. Since 2017, Charles has completed graduate astrophysics classes and recently became admitted to the Masters of Science in Data Analytics at the University of Chicago. He is a founding member of the Internet Law Leadership Summit; holds memberships in the AAS, AIAA, ECSL, IEEE, and, ITechLaw; and, serves on the board of NewSpace Chicago. He regularly speaks and teaches Internet and space law domestically and internationally.
Very Real Help
Noah Robinson is founder and CEO of Very Real Help, Inc. Noah has built a clinical research platform to explore how social virtual reality environments (“the metaverse”) can be used to deliver transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral peer support. Noah has received funding from NIH and NSF to use his platform for the treatment of substance use disorders and other mental health conditions.
Spatial
Howard’s prime passion is to apply digital technology to make people healthier, more productive, and happier. At Spatial, Howard is leading development of the Platform and tools to transform the patient experience, vitalize and humanize clinical spaces, and enable new, digital modalities of treatment. Howard is known as an industry leading pioneer in clinical uses of virtual reality to relieve acute and chronic pain, treat mental health and PTSD, and accelerate public health campaigns. Howard was Story Advisor to the 2021 Emmy Nominated VR documentary, Inside Covid-19.
Lifeliqe
Mark Andersen is the Co-founder and CEO of Lifeliqe, a workforce development and education platform for students to learn visually in digital 3D. Lifeliqe's platform distributes the world's largest digital Science library available in interactive 3D models, augmented reality, and virtual reality. Mark focuses on expanding Lifeliqe's career exploration and job training learning resources into colleges, schools and libraries. Lifeliqe is creating 5 simulations in virtual reality for each of the 4 Community Colleges in Nevada. Lifeliqe's simulations are being integrated into the curricula of each of the Community College's certificate programs. These simulations span healthcare, advanced manufacturing, skilled trade, and IT. Previously Mark was the Business School Chairman at Anglo-American University in Prague where he also taught for five years. For the past twenty years Mark has worked as a marketing leader in tech startups in Silicon Valley. Before getting his MBA from Northwestern University (Kellogg) Mark co-founded a successful startup that grew to 120 employees.
Rendever
Seeing the negative effects of social isolation take a toll on his grandmother, Kyle Rand devoted his studies to cognitive decline in the aging population. He researched neuroprosthetics at Duke University, studying the link between functional structural changes in the brain that occur with age and the associated deficits in economic decision-making skills. This propelled Rand to create a solution to serve the older adult population, and so Rendever was born. Kyle Rand is now the Cofounder & CEO of this virtual reality platform aimed to improve the aging process by bringing the outside world to seniors. The platform is used to combat the effects of social isolation and address mental health, memory care, continued education, and physical health. Rendever has won numerous awards since its founding, including recently being ranked No. 897 on the 2021 Inc. 5000 List, and Kyle was honored for his work at Rendever by being included in the 2019 Forbes 30 Under 30 Consumer Technology list.
Vanderbilt University
Professor Department of School of Nursing
Professor Department of Biomedical Informatics
Vanderbilt University
HealthySimulation.com
Lance Baily, BA, EMT-B, is the Founder & CEO of HealthySimulation.com, which he started while serving as the Director of the Nevada System of Higher Education’s Clinical Simulation Center of Las Vegas back in 2010. Lance is also the Founder and acting Advisor to the Board of SimGHOSTS.org, the world’s only non-profit organization dedicated to supporting professionals operating healthcare simulation technologies. His new co-edited Book: “Comprehensive Healthcare Simulation: Operations, Technology, and Innovative Practice” is available now. Lance’s background also includes serving as a Simulation Technology Specialist for the LA Community College District, EMS fire fighting, Hollywood movie production, rescue diving, and global travel. He lives with his wife Dr. Abigail Baily in Las Vegas, Nevada with their newborn daughter and two crazy dachshunds.
HealthTunes
Walter Post-graduated from USC and holds a Master’s Degree USM. He finished Ludwig v Beethoven’s 10th symphony, in collaboration with AI, which premiered in October 2021 in Bonn. His MYTHOS MOZART immersive experience will open in June 2022. He is the founder of HealthTunes Inc, an evidence-based streaming Pharmacy offering MusicMedicine Currently, Walter is working on multinational medical studies.
BrickSimple
Serial entrepreneur with a strong hands-on engineering background and a proven track record of building teams and businesses that deliver innovative emerging technology products/solutions. Expert and conference speaker on emerging technologies including VR, AR, XR, IoT, AI, and Blockchain.
Xennial Digital
Xennial Digital is Douglas’ third startup. The company focuses on building Virtual and Augmented Reality enterprise solutions and platforms for both academic and corporate organizations, with a strong focus in the healthcare industry.
Douglas’ vision is to create a comprehensive Virtual Reality medical campus to train professionals in all areas of medicine, from nurses to first responders to healthcare technicians. Through its collaboration with the University of Miami School of Medicine, Xennial Digital has begun building simulation training labs for nurses and first responders.
Douglas is an Executive Member of Singularity University Miami.
Mindcotine
Chief Science Officer & Co-founder. Psychologist, researcher, and entrepreneur with a mind-body medicine background, constantly training the study and reflection through a systemic-ecological epistemology. His expertise is oriented towards developing long-term change by developing resilient relationships, seasoned by his fascination for the application of new technologies to the fields of health, education, and business. He is currently engaged in a pioneer endeavor of development and research digital therapeutics utilizing virtual reality, mindfulness, neuroscience, and through a Fractal Psychology perspective - a clinical approach developed to holistically map the makeup of a person’s bodily emotional character.
Mediview
Mina lives in Minnesota with his wonderful wife Monika, their little boy Theo and their puppy Teddy. Mina has a background in cardiovascular, radiology, orthopedics and diagnostic medical device leadership, product development and commercialization. Throughout the years he has worked at Medtronic, Abbott, Beckman Coulter, Excelen and now serves as CEO and President of MediView where they leverage augmented reality and artificial intelligence to simplify, democratize and inform healthcare delivery. With some incredible partners, Mina is a serial entrepreneur in the medtech and fintech spaces. Mina approaches his life with a foundation of trust, team, transparency and track record to encourage collaboration and innovation focused on advancing people’s everyday lives. Outside of work Mina works with a number of non-profit organizations and his church focused on medical, social and spiritual services and missions. He enjoys biking, basketball, travelling and spending time with his family and friends.
Floreo
Vijay Ravindran is an accomplished entrepreneur and technology executive with experience in online retail at Amazon and the news media industry for The Washington Post Company.
Ravindran is the founder and CEO of Floreo, a venture-backed start-up developing virtual reality
learning for people with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD and anxiety.
Ravindran's career spans digital commerce and news media. He joined Amazon in 1998 when the company sold books and music. He later served as director of the ordering department at Amazon and led the team that launched Amazon Prime. As Chief Digital Officer for The Washington Post Company, he founded WaPo Labs and oversaw the development of over a dozen products in digital news and launched Washington Post Social Reader and Trove, a
personalized news web application.
He is an engineering graduate of the University of Virginia and serves on the Board of The
Lenfest Institute for Journalism.
Virtual Medical Coaching
James won his first innovation award at 12 years of age in school in Dublin, Ireland. The prize was awarded by the then President, Mary Robinson who inspired him to never think anything was impossible. Since then he has been a New Zealand Innovator of the Year semi-finalist in 2021 and winner of the Microsoft Supreme Prize for developing and implementing innovative, world-first, Virtual Reality training in 2020.
He is the Founder of Virtual Medical Coaching and is reinventing the way healthcare students and employees learn their skills. The simulation solutions they develop combine VR, big data analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI) to allow students to learn complex or dangerous tasks in a safe, immersive, and realistic environment. James is proud to be bringing together New Zealand’s highest level of developers to pioneer this world-class, student-centric healthcare education platform.
Stanford University
Conference Co-Chair
Behavioral Neuroscientist
Stanford University
Walter Greenleaf is a neuroscientist and a medical technology developer working at Stanford University. With over three decades of research and development experience, Walter is considered a leading authority in the field of digital medicine and medical virtual reality technology.
Research Focus:
Walter’s current research focus is on developing computer supported clinical products, with a specific emphasis on applying virtual reality and digital health technology to address difficult problems in behavioral and physical medicine such as Post-traumatic Stress, Anxiety Disorders, Depression, Traumatic Brain Injury and Stroke, Addictions, and Autism Spectrum Disorder.
His early research was on age-related changes in the neuroendocrine system and the effects on human behavior.
Academic Positions:
Walter is currently a Distinguished Visiting Scholar at Stanford University’s MediaX Program, a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab, and the Director of Technology Strategy at the University of Colorado National Mental Health Innovation Center. He previously served as the Director of the Mind Division, Stanford Center on Longevity, where his focus was on age-related changes in cognition.
Medical Product Development:
Walter has designed and developed numerous clinical systems over the last thirty-five years, including products in the fields of: surgical simulation, 3D medical visualization, telerehabilitation, clinical informatics, clinical decision support, point-of-care clinical data collection, ergonomic evaluation technology, automatic sleep-staging systems, psychophysiological assessment, and simulation-assisted rehabilitation technologies, as well as digital eHealth products for behavioral medicine.
Academic Leadership:
Walter is the Co-founder and Board Chair for the International Virtual Reality Health Association (IVRHA).
He helped establish the California State University Center for Disability Solutions and the International Society of Virtual Rehabilitation (ISVR). Walter is a scientific advisor and grant reviewer for the U.S. Public Health Service, National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), NASA, and the U.S. Department of Education (DoED). He has served as the Principal Investigator for research projects funded by the NIH and by NASA.
Corporate Management:
Walter founded and served as CEO for Greenleaf Medical Systems, a medical product development company; InWorld Solutions, a company specializing in the therapeutic use of virtual worlds for behavioral health care; and Virtually Better, a company that develops virtual environments for the treatment of phobias, anxiety disorders, and PTSD. Walter was the founding Chief Science Officer for Pear Therapeutics.
Academic Journals:
Walter is an Associate Editor for three academic journals: JMIR Mental Health, the Journal of Virtual Reality in Medicine, and Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking.
Current Board Positions:
Walter serves on the Board of Directors for Brainstorm: The Stanford Laboratory for Brain Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship; for Cognitive Leap, a company that develops mental health solutions for children; and for Sine Wave, the developer of Sine Space, a multi-user online Unity 3D-based virtual world platform. He is currently the technology and neuroscience advisor to several early-stage medical product companies.
Walter earned a Doctorate in Neuro and Bio-Behavioral Sciences from the Stanford University School of Medicine, where he was awarded a NIMH Graduate Fellowship.
Paracosma
Founder and CEO
Paracosma
Ken Ehrhart is the Founder and CEO of Paracosma, an Augmented and Virtual Reality Solutions Provider offering AR & VR application development, 3D modeling and content creation, 360 video production and distribution. Paracosma is a Founding Member of the IVRHA and has created VR Surgery Training and Senior Social and Brain-Health VR Games. Mr. Ehrhart is also a Cofounder and General Partner at SunBridge Partners, a Venture Capital firm that helps US Enterprise SAAS Companies enter the Japanese market.
IVRHA
Executive Director and Founder
IVRHA
Robert is the Executive Director and Founder of IVRHA (International Virtual Reality and Healthcare Association).
In 2009, Robert started Cool Blue Media by organizing the first social media conference on the east coast of the United States, leading to the publication of the text book, "The Big Book of Social Media Case Studies, Stories and Perspectives" and shortly thereafter the only printed magazine covering social media, The Social Media Monthly. In May 2016, he launched VRVoice.co, a content vertical exploring virtual reality in the enterprise. In 2017, Robert started the largest annual conference on virtual reality and healthcare with events taking place both in the US and Europe.
Prior to 2009, Robert was the Senior Director of Global Strategy and Development of IT at Conservation International (CI). Robert joined CI in 2000 to take responsibility for connecting all of CI’s forty field offices to the Internet with broadband connectivity. During his 10 year tenure, he built an international staff of 25 IT professionals.
Robert has over ten years of additional work experience as a systems and sales engineer with various companies including CMGI, Hughes Network Systems, ioWave and Raytheon. Robert has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Villanova University, a master’s degree in environmental science and public policy from Johns Hopkins University, and is ABD at George Mason University.
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Tips for Patients Considering Hydroxychloroquine Treatment for Autoimmune Disorders
These studies have provided valuable insights into the potential benefits and limitations of this treatment approach. It was initially used as an antimalarial medication and later found to be effective in treating autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Some of the commonly reported side effects include gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, as well as skin rashes and occasional vision changes. This rekindled interest in hydroxychloroquine prompted a series of studies and debates, leading to polarized views on its efficacy and safety as a treatment option outside of its traditional use. Hydroxychloroquine, a medication heralded for its efficacy in treating malaria, has also become a cornerstone in the management of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), an autoimmune disease. It is believed to modulate the immune system and protect against inflammation, which is integral in the management of the disease. Additionally, the development of new antiviral drugs that share similar mechanisms of action with hydroxychloroquine is being prioritized, as it could potentially lead to more effective and targeted treatments in the future.
Beyond the Known: Exploring Off-label Uses of Hydroxychloroquine.
Hydroxychloroquine, often abbreviated as HCQ, has been a crucial script for individuals suffering from chronic lupus. The exploration of hydroxychloroquine's efficacy in treating autoimmune diseases has generated considerable interest within the medical community, paving the way for further clinical trials and research. Others, however, recount troubling side effects and questionable efficacy, leaving them wondering if the risks outweighed any potential benefits. This drug modulates the immune system by inhibiting certain cellular processes that contribute to inflammation and tissue damage. Living with lupus can be an isolating experience, but patient narratives offer a beacon of hope, illuminating the possibilities for managing the disease. This elevated pH inhibits crucial activities such as nutrient assimilation and nucleic acid synthesis, leading to the parasite's demise. This is particularly valuable in autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, as it helps to ease symptoms.
Hydroxychloroquine's Mechanism of Action: Unraveling the Mystery
The emotional repercussion of using hydroxychloroquine on the frontline was palpable among health care workers. With a comprehensive evaluation of hydroxychloroquine, we can navigate through the noise and uncover its true place in the fight against Covid-19. The hype surrounding hydroxychloroquine and its potential as a treatment for COVID-19 eventually led to polarizing discussions within the scientific community and broader society. The drug, originally approved for treating malaria and autoimmune diseases, gained attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. The origins of hydroxychloroquine can be traced to the natural substance quinine, derived from the bark of the Cinchona tree, native to South America. This evolving journey promises new applications and refined treatments for myriad ailments, igniting hope for the medical community. Researchers are studying the potential of hydroxychloroquine derivatives as alternative treatments.
The Future of Hydroxychloroquine in Medical Treatment
Regular eye examinations are recommended for patients taking hydroxychloroquine to monitor for any signs of retinopathy. Hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial drug used for centuries, may have potential benefits in treating modern pandemics. Numerous clinical trials were rapidly deployed to assess its effectiveness and safety in this novel context. It is important to have regular eye examinations while taking the medication to monitor for any retinal changes or vision disturbances. The results showed that the medication had a sustained protective effect, leading to a decreased risk of flare occurrence. that many had hoped for in the fight against COVID-19. Despite this, the hype surrounding hydroxychloroquine continued to grow, fueled by anecdotal evidence and the relentless spread of misinformation.
Political Polarization: a Divisive Debate Amid Crisis
Conversely, hydroxychloroquine's application has been met with scrutiny and regulatory challenges in other parts of the world. Hydroxychloroquine's therapeutic odyssey began as a frontline treatment for malaria, exploiting its ability to disrupt the parasite’s life cycle. Originally developed as an anti-malarial drug, hydroxychloroquine has demonstrated significant efficacy in combating the Plasmodium parasite responsible for malaria. Regulatory bodies have established specific guidelines to maximize safety, including dosage recommendations and monitoring protocols. This initial study garnered much media attention and sparked a wave of enthusiasm surrounding hydroxychloroquine as a possible miracle drug. (Note: The information provided here is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. In the early stages of the outbreak, when treatment options were limited, hydroxychloroquine emerged as a potential solution based on preliminary studies suggesting its effectiveness against the novel coronavirus.
Research and Studies Supporting Its Effectiveness
However, it is important to note that these studies had limitations in terms of sample size and study design. The debate surrounding the use of hydroxychloroquine in treating Covid-19 has intensified, navigating through a sea of clinical trials and expert opinions. It is important to note that these risks may increase when hydroxychloroquine is taken in higher doses or used for long-term treatment. Apart from hydroxychloroquine itself, the exploration of related compounds is also being pursued. Common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps, but more severe reactions like vision problems, irregular heartbeat, and liver or kidney damage have also been reported. Hydroxychloroquine dosage is determined based on various factors like patient weight and medical condition. These findings emphasize the importance of cautious administration and close medical monitoring when using hydroxychloroquine, ensuring that its potential benefits outweigh its potential risks.
Research Studies: Efficacy and Safety Analyses
As reports emerged of its potential efficacy against COVID-19, demand for the medication skyrocketed, leading to shortages and concerns about access for patients who relied on it for chronic conditions. The drug's reputation and potential role in the treatment of COVID-19 became entangled in political narratives, making it challenging for the medical community and the public to have a focused and objective discussion about its merits. More recently, its possible efficacy in treating viral infections has sparked interest, though this application remains contentious and is still under investigation. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have cautioned against the widespread use of hydroxychloroquine due to insufficient evidence supporting its benefits for COVID-19 patients. As the world grappled with the unprecedented challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, researchers and healthcare professionals scrambled to find effective treatments. Hydroxychloroquine appears to work by modulating the immune response, reducing inflammation, and suppressing specific pathways involved in autoimmune processes. While hydroxychloroquine has been generally well-tolerated, there are certain considerations to keep in mind.
Future Research Directions and Ongoing Studies on Hydroxychloroquine
HCQ also accumulates in the walls of vascular cells, leading to a broad anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting cytokine production and the release of proinflammatory enzymes. Early laboratory studies suggested HCQ might inhibit the virus, stirring significant excitement. Understanding the mechanism of action is crucial in determining the potential effectiveness of this controversial drug in the treatment of Covid-19. Some nations, facing high rates of infection and mortality, granted temporary approvals or compassionate use protocols. Policies concerning hydroxychloroquine have shifted significantly, igniting both scientific debates and public concern. This adaptation of hydroxychloroquine underscored the evolving understanding and innovative repurposing of existing drugs in medicine. As protocols are being refined, scientists are hoping to uncover crucial details that may lead to a deeper understanding of how to utilize hydroxychloroquine optimally in the fight against COVID-19.
Media's Role in Spreading Misinformation
These controversies highlight the need for rigorous scientific research and unbiased analysis to better understand the role of hydroxychloroquine in the management of COVID-19. They also stress the importance of caution with other medications to avoid drug interactions. Patients taking hydroxychloroquine must be aware of potential vision complications that can arise from its usage. Its efficacy in reducing malaria symptoms made it a staple in medical kits worldwide, providing a beacon of hope in regions plagued by malaria. The intersection of politics and media reporting with scientific inquiry during the COVID-19 pandemic starkly illuminated how political agendas and media narratives can shape public perception and influence policy decisions, often regardless of the underlying scientific evidence. In countries where malaria is endemic, its preventive and therapeutic attributes have made it a cornerstone in public health policies. This has heralded a significant improvement in the quality of life for those affected, as hydroxychloroquine becomes a constant in their therapeutic armory.
The Covid-19 Pandemic: a New Hope Emerges
Patients who received hydroxychloroquine during the pandemic shared mixed stories about their experiance. Some common side effects of hydroxychloroquine include digestive issues such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, as well as headaches and dizziness. Effectiveness and Controversies Surrounding Hydroxychloroquine:Hydroxychloroquine has been the subject of much debate and controversy, particularly in the context of its effectiveness in treating certain conditions. The impact of Hydroxychloroquine on Covid-19 patients has been a subject of intense interest and scrutiny since the beginning of the pandemic. The results suggested that hydroxychloroquine could effectively inhibit viral replication and reduce the release of infectious virus particles. These opinions collectively highlight the importance of a careful and evidence-based approach when considering hydroxychloroquine as a treatment option. Hydroxychloroquine, a well-known medication in the field of rheumatology, has gained significant attention due to its potential use in treating COVID-19.
