Recently, the LYEONS team had the pleasure of sitting down with Hannah Claridge, a remarkable expert whose journey through medical physics and neurotechnology is as inspiring as it is insightful. We’re excited to share her story, a perfect example of how scientific curiosity, combined with a passion for patient impact, is driving innovation in brain health. 🙂
Discovering a Passion for Medical Physics
Hannah began her academic career studying physics, captivated by the fundamental question of how the world works. But as her studies progressed, she found herself drawn to a more applied focus, understanding the human body through the lens of physics.
Her path took her to University of Oxford, where she completed her master’s and PhD in medical physics with a deep dive into brain function. “My PhD was on trying to be more quantitative about what’s going on in the brain using functional MRI… Rather than just looking at where something is happening, we were trying to really quantify what’s going on,” Hannah explained. This non-invasive approach opened new doors in detecting early neurodegenerative disease and tailoring treatments for stroke patients.
Bridging Science and Real-World Impact
While academia offered the thrill of discovery, Hannah realised her true motivation was patient impact. “I was really motivated by the patient impact and being able to work on something that has a good chance of actually ending up in clinical practice and helping people with different health challenges.” she shared. This drive led her to industry, where science meets practical application.
At TTP, Hannah worked across a range of medical device projects before reconnecting with her original passion, the brain and nervous system. This is where neurotechnology became her focus, a field offering innovative ways to interact with the body’s electrical communication system.
The Potential of Neurotechnology
Neurotechnology stands apart from traditional drug treatments by targeting the nervous system’s electrical signals directly. From spinal cord stimulators that relieve chronic pain to cochlear implants restoring hearing, the potential is vast.
Hannah highlighted how deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson’s disease has already transformed lives, and research is ongoing to personalise similar treatments for depression, a more complex challenge, given the variation in brain regions involved.
“By having a deep brain stimulation device implanted, patients have experienced immediate changes in their mood and outlook on life,” she said. Yet, scaling these innovations and making them accessible remains a key challenge.
Innovation at the Intersection of Science, Engineering, and Patient Needs
Hannah emphasised that creating successful neurotech products isn’t just about scientific discovery. It requires understanding what patients and clinicians truly need, navigating regulatory and reimbursement landscapes, and designing devices that are practical and scalable.
“In industry, developing a product that works is only the start. For patients to be able to benefit from it, it has to fit into the existing healthcare system. You have to answer questions like, how will the therapy be prescribed? Who will pay for it? Does it provide value for money for the payer?” she noted. This blend of rigorous research and real-world context is crucial for turning breakthroughs into everyday treatments.
Encouraging a Multidisciplinary Approach in Neurotechnology
Hannah highlighted that neurotechnology innovation relies on a diverse mix of expertise coming together, from engineering, design, neuroscience , clinical insights and beyond. She believes that it’s this multidisciplinary collaboration that makes the difference.
She’s also excited about how accessible tools like open brain-computer interface headsets and public datasets are lowering barriers, making it easier for students, researchers, and enthusiasts from various backgrounds to explore and contribute to neurotechnology.
The Future Is Now
After years of foundational research, neurotechnology is finally reaching a tipping point, moving from experimental labs to scalable products that are making a real difference.
As Hannah put it, “It’s not this futuristic, crazy, blue skies thing anymore. But it’s still new, it’s exciting, it’s innovative.”
A big thank you to Hannah for sharing her story and insights with us. 🙂 We learned a lot from our conversation and share the excitement about where neurotechnology is heading to make an impactful difference for people. At LYEONS, we’re focused on closing the gap between research and real impact, and interviews like this remind us why we do what we do as we move forward on this journey.
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