Every week, I’m a little astonished by the amount of brainpower at work in our region. It shows up in the high-achieving student intern resumes that cross my desk (seriously—is it something in the water?). And it’s reflected in Fremont’s role as a major hub for tech and advanced manufacturing.
While much of today’s tech conversation revolves around artificial intelligence, I find myself just as fascinated by the human intelligence behind it all. One of my more leisurely interests—nerd alert—is neuroscience. I enjoy keeping up with new brain science studies and breakthroughs, especially when they’re happening right here in Fremont or nearby.
Not surprisingly, much local research focuses on neurotechnology, which blends electronics and the nervous system to monitor, analyze, predict or even modulate brain activity. Some of these tools are already being used for medical treatment and cognitive enhancement, sitting at the intersection of neuroscience and AI—an exciting space that also raises important questions about privacy, ethics and identity.
One high-profile example is Neuralink, the Fremont-based neurotechnology company founded by Elon Musk. As you might expect, its work has generated both excitement and controversy. Neuralink develops implantable brain-computer interface devices intended to restore function for people with neurological disorders—and, eventually, to “augment” human capabilities. The potential is enormous, and so are the debates.
Other compelling work is happening closer to home. At Cal State East Bay, the Brain Rehabilitation and Investigation of Neuroplasticity (B.R.A.I.N.) Lab studies cognitive and communicative recovery from stroke, traumatic brain injury and concussion, using EEG and neuroimaging to better understand how the brain heals.
Here in Fremont, Washington Hospital’s Bell Neuroscience Institute of Silicon Valley focuses on clinical neuroscience and comprehensive care for complex brain conditions. In Pleasanton, the BRAIN Foundation funds research into neurotechnology and metabolic dysfunction in autism.
And at Stanford, Dr. Sergiu Pașca is pioneering research using 3D human neural organoids—also known as assembloids—to study neural circuit formation and early brain development. Stanford’s Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience is also hosting a Jan. 27 symposium on advances in brain aging and resilience.
Reading about all this work—much of it happening in our own backyard—reminds me that curiosity itself is a kind of exercise. It keeps our brains flexible, engaged and maybe even a little sharper. If Fremont is known for building the future, it’s reassuring to know we’re also paying close attention to the minds doing the building. And if there is something in the water, let’s not filter it out just yet.
