Dr Anirban Dutta PhD

Associate Professor of Quantitative Biomedicine

• M.S. in Cerebrovascular Medicine, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin Stroke Research Centre, Germany in 2014. Thesis: Electroencephalography (EEG)-near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) based online imaging during non-invasive electrical brain stimulation
• Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), Cleveland, USA in 2009. Thesis: Development of an Electromyogram-Based Controller for Functional Electrical Stimulation-Assisted Walking After Partial Paralysis (http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1238761874)
• M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA, in 2002. Thesis: Study and Enhancement of Electrophotographic Solid Freeform Fabrication (https://ufdc.ufl.edu/en/UFE0000527/00001/citation)
• Bachelor of Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India, in 1999
• BSI certified internal auditor (ISO 13485:2016, ISO 14971:2019)

Dr Dutta is a distinguished biomedical engineer and entrepreneur dedicated to addressing global health disparities through innovative neurotechnologies. Recognizing the challenges posed by a growing and aging population on the UK's National Health Service (NHS), his research leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to personalize healthcare via human-in-the-loop neurotechnologies. By integrating physiological knowledge, he refines "black box" algorithms to provide deeper insights into biological processes, ensuring accurate modelling and ethical delivery in collaboration with clinicians, physiologists, and public stakeholders.

Focusing on global health equity, Dr. Dutta combines physiological modelling with low-cost hardware development to create affordable neurotechnologies. Utilizing portable non-invasive electrical stimulation and neuroimaging, he aims to reduce healthcare disparities worldwide, blending technological innovation with social responsibility. His postdoctoral research under the prestigious Humboldt Fellowship at the University Medical Center Göttingen in Germany with Prof. Dr. med. Michael Nitsche established a multi-level neurostimulation approach—including neuromuscular, spinal cord, and brain stimulation—for post-stroke neurorehabilitation. This foundational work extended to applications in India, addressing healthcare challenges in resource-limited settings.

As the leader of the NeuroPhys4NeuroRehab project team (https://team.inria.fr/nphys4nrehab/) at INRIA in France, Dr. Dutta spearheaded the development of the CEREBROS system, culminating in an US patent with the U.S. spinoff company NeuroTrix LLC. His commitment to social entrepreneurship is further exemplified by his involvement with Arogya MedTech Pvt. Ltd., which won the Tata Social Enterprise Challenge, and his recognition as a semi-finalist at the 2015 43North competition in Buffalo for the CEREBROS technology.

In 2016, Dr Dutta joined the University at Buffalo, USA, as a tenure-track Assistant Professor. There, his lab achieved significant milestones in translational research, including neuroimaging and "grey-box" modelling-guided non-invasive brain stimulation for post-stroke rehabilitation. His team also developed a low-cost, portable brain scanner with photobiomodulation functionality for neonatal neurocritical care in India (https://www.buffalo.edu/globalhealthequity/Resources/research-posters.host.html/content/shared/www/globalhealthequity/research-and-development/the-global-child/testing-options/development-of-a-low-cost-portable-brain-scanner-with-telemonito.detail.html).

Additionally, Dr Dutta's work in Healthcare 4.0 and 5.0 explores the transformative potential of AI, IoT, and data analytics in addressing clinical needs. By focusing on people flow modelling within the healthcare sector, particularly healthcare in Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), his research aims to create smart, responsive, and patient-centric care environments in both home and community settings. This work underscores the broader application of these principles across various healthcare challenges, supporting integrated care systems and partnerships to enhance population health through collaborative, neurotechnology-driven approaches (https://royalsociety.org/science-events-and-lectures/2024/11/digital-healthcare/).

Through his interdisciplinary approach and dedication to social impact, Dr. Dutta is advancing personalized healthcare solutions and making significant contributions to improving patient outcomes worldwide.

• BioInnovation I: Research Methodologies and Practices of Needs-led BioInnovation
• BioInnovation II: Ideation and Design methodologies for Translation from Idea to Impact

Anil Kamat, Ph.D. (co-supervised with Prof. De at SUNY Buffalo, USA)

Brain behavior monitoring during laparoscopic surgical skill acquisition

Sneha Sudhakar Karanth, M.S. (co-supervised with Prof. Stachowiak at SUNY Buffalo, USA)

Search for Integration of Neuronal Networks with Global Genome Networks by Sudhakar Karanth, Sneha, State University of New York at Buffalo, 2021, 111 pages; 28499217

Pushpinder Walia, M.S. (SUNY Buffalo, USA)

Portable Neuroimaging-Based Insights for Guiding Transcranial Electrical Stimulation to Facilitate Surgical Skill Acquisition by Walia, Pushpinder, State University of New York at Buffalo, 2021, 95 pages; 28716253

Dr Neeta Ashok Kumar, Post-doctoral Fellow (SUNY Buffalo, USA)

Project: Artificially Intelligent Agents for Investigating Methods for Performance Overdrive (IMPROVE)

Kavya Narendra Kumar, M.S. (SUNY Buffalo, USA)

Investigation of Wavelet Functions for Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy-Based Brain Connectivity During Surgical Training by Narendra Kumar, Kavya, State University of New York at Buffalo, 2021, 84 pages; 28718420

Yashika Arora, Doctoral Intern/Visitor (SUNY Buffalo, USA)

Community for Global Health Equity funded research on computational modeling of multi-modal brain imaging to identify and monitor hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy

Zeynab Rezaee, Ph.D. (SUNY Buffalo, USA)

Neuroimaging-Based Computational Pipeline to Optimize Electric Field Distribution in the Human Brain During Cerebellar Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation by Rezaee Hassan Abadi, Zeynab, State University of New York at Buffalo, 2021, 290 pages; 28315183

Zoe Herrick, M.S. (SUNY Buffalo, USA)

Source Localization of Simulated Electroencephalogram of Virtual Epileptic Patient to Investigate Clinically Feasible Montages by Herrick, Zoe, State University of New York at Buffalo, 2020, 71 pages; 28088741

Hemangi Rajendrakumar Dixit, M.S. (SUNY Buffalo, USA)

Computational Modeling of Magnetic Stimulation of Spinal Cord: Neuromodulation for Neurogenic Bladder by Dixit, Hemangi Rajendrakumar, State University of New York at Buffalo, 2020, 60 pages; 27735709

Ye Zhan, Ph.D. (supervisory committee member at SUNY Buffalo, USA)

Development of Photoacoustic and Related Optical – Acoustic Techniques for Bio-Sensing and Biometrics by Zhan, Ye, State University of New York at Buffalo, 2020, 103 pages; 27995322

Jinal Joshi, M.S. (SUNY Buffalo, USA)

System Identification of Electrode-Skin Interface for Flexible PDMS Electrodes and Microelectrode Arrays by Joshi, Jinal, State University of New York at Buffalo, 2019, 87 pages; 13882241

Domin Koh, Ph.D. (supervisory committee member at SUNY Buffalo, USA)

Chemical-Free Metal-PDMS Thermal Bonding in Flexible Electrode Fabrication by Koh, Domin, State University of New York at Buffalo, 2019, 135 pages; 13427124

Aarthi Krishnan, M.S. (SUNY Buffalo, USA)

Investigating Feasibility of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Targeting Upper Limb Spasticity – A Case Study by Krishnan, Aarthi, State University of New York at Buffalo, 2019, 79 pages; 13885717

Vinh Kha, M.S. (SUNY Buffalo, USA)

System Analysis of Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Effects on Visuomotor Myoelectric Task Performance by Kha, Vinh, State University of New York at Buffalo, 2018, 89 pages; 10744853

Maninderpal Singh Cheema, M.S. (SUNY Buffalo, USA)

Task Relevant Source Based Brain Computer Interface: Exploration of Independent Component Analysis Based Spatial Filtering with Reliability by Cheema, Maninderpal Singh, State University of New York at Buffalo, 2018, 62 pages; 10823332

Mancheung Cheung, M.S. (SUNY Buffalo, USA)

Hemodynamics Due to Calf Muscle Activity – Biophysical Modeling and Experiments Using Frequency Domain Near Infrared Spectroscopy in Healthy Humans by Cheung, Mancheung, State University of New York at Buffalo, 2018, 53 pages; 10823366

Brian Hagan, M.S. (SUNY Buffalo, USA)

Classification of Electroencephalogram in Ovine Model of Perinatal Hypoxia by Movement of the Autoregressive Model Parameters by Hagan, Brian, State University of New York at Buffalo, 2018, 118 pages; 10822601

Dr Jija James, Post-doctoral Fellow (INRIA, France)

Modeling resting-state functional connectivity networks in preoperative and postoperative diffuse low-grade glioma (DLGG)

Rahima Sidi Boulenouar, Master 2 (STIC et Santé, Spécialité Technologie pour la Santé, Université Montpellier 2, France)

EEG-EMG features extraction for brain computer interface. [Research Report] Université de Montpellier 2. 2014. ⟨hal-01063815⟩

Deepesh Kumar, Doctoral Intern (INRIA, France)

Águida Foerster, Doctoral Intern (INRIA, France)

Utkarsh Jindal, Graduate Intern (INRIA, France)

Mehak Sood, Graduate Intern (INRIA, France)

Join Dr Dutta's pioneering research in neuroengineering and quantitative biomedicine, where you'll bridge neuroscience and technology to address clinical needs. Under his mentorship—for advancing global health equity—you'll contribute to impactful research in neurorehabilitation and healthcare. Collaborate globally within a multidisciplinary team, shaping the future of neuroengineering while advancing your academic and professional goals.

Current Research Focus (2024–Present)

At the University of Birmingham, Dr. Dutta is at the forefront of transforming healthcare through advanced quantitative biomedicine and digital health innovations. His recent work delves into Healthcare 4.0 and 5.0, emphasizing the digitization of health and care systems to meet the evolving healthcare needs. In his co-authored chapter from Healthcare 4.0 (and 5.0) - Digitising Health and Care (In book: Technology Innovation for Sustainable Development of Healthcare and Disaster Management, Publisher: Springer Verlag, Singapore), he explores the transformative potential of integrating AI, IoT, and data analytics. By focusing on people flow modelling and integrated care systems for Functional Neurological Disorders (FND), the chapter advocates for creating affordable and patient-centric environments that revolutionize patient care. Demonstrating his commitment to addressing healthcare inequalities, Dr. Dutta co-organized a Special Session on the "Economics of Inequality in Health Care" at the 4th Development Economics Conference in 2024 (https://declincoln.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/).

Further highlighting his leadership in the digital healthcare field, Dr. Dutta is a co-organizer of a Royal Society Discussion Meeting on "Digital Healthcare for the Management of Functional Neurological Disorders" scheduled for November 2024 (https://royalsociety.org/science-events-and-lectures/2024/11/digital-healthcare/). This prestigious event underscores his commitment to advancing digital tools in neurotechnology and healthcare management in FND on an international stage.

In collaboration with the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and his former US team members, including Dr. Yashika Arora, Dr. Dutta is spearheading secondary data analysis for the RETRAIN trial. Dr. Dutta’s groundbreaking initiative investigates the interplay between stroke-heart syndrome and cerebrovascular recovery, utilizing neurotechnology interventions to modulate outcomes. The interdisciplinary project aims to develop patient-specific models and assess interventions through multimodal neuroimaging and computational simulations, paving the way for personalized medicine in stroke rehabilitation.

Dr Dutta is also making significant strides in improving care pathways for FND. By employing narrative interviews and evaluating the cost-effectiveness of innovative technologies—such as a platform for VR biofeedback training under operant conditioning (funded by RehabTech Network, an EPSRC Network+ project)—he is reshaping therapeutic approaches. Additionally, he co-led projects on the "Assessment and Treatment of PTSD in a Digital World," merging neuroimaging with digital health technologies to enhance treatment efficacy.

Previous Research (2022–2024)

During his tenure at the University of Lincoln, Dr. Dutta served as the Programme Leader for Biomedical Engineering, where he continued to break new ground in Biodesign education for undergraduate biomedical engineering. He extended his role as co-Principal Investigator on the project "Brain-based Metrics for Prolonged Field Care Tasks," collaborating with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center and the University at Buffalo. This work focuses on developing neurophysiological metrics to enhance soldier performance and resilience in challenging environments.

Dr Dutta also supported NSF-funded research led by Prof. Michal Stachowiak at the University at Buffalo. This research explores light-mediated programming of neuronal networks, particularly within genomic networks, to optimize learning and information processing—a venture that holds promise for advancing AI and neural network modelling.

Neuroimaging-Guided Non-invasive Brain Stimulation (2016–2022)

At the University at Buffalo, Dr. Dutta pioneered non-invasive brain stimulation techniques using transcranial electrical stimulation and near-infrared spectroscopy. His innovative research targeted cognitive enhancement and post-stroke recovery, with a special focus on cerebellar stimulation. His findings provided critical insights into optimizing stimulation parameters to improve motor learning and cognitive performance, influencing both clinical practices and future research directions.

Personalized Neuromodulation for Rehabilitation (2010–2015)

Leading the NeuroPhys4NeuroRehab project team (https://team.inria.fr/nphys4nrehab/) at INRIA in Montpellier, Dr. Dutta focused on developing personalized neuromodulation strategies for rehabilitation through customized electrical stimulation. His research significantly advanced the understanding of neuroplasticity and optimized rehabilitation strategies for stroke patients. The project's success not only contributed to scientific knowledge but also laid the groundwork for practical applications in rehabilitation under individual functioning, and disability criteria, encompassing "body functions and structures," "activities," and "participation," viewed as outcomes of the interaction between the individual's "health condition" (comprising "disorder/disease") and contextual factors such as "personal factors" and "environmental factors" – the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) Model (https://www.iasted.org/conferences/speaker2-766.html).

Dr Dutta's diverse and impactful research portfolio (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7298-9773) consistently pushes the boundaries of neuroengineering, digital health technologies, and personalized neurorehabilitation therapies. His work seamlessly integrates cutting-edge technology with clinical needs, demonstrating a relentless commitment to improving patient outcomes and addressing global health challenges. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and embracing innovation, Dr. Dutta continues to shape the future of healthcare, making him a visionary leader in his field.

Research Groups and Centres

• Centre for Systems Research and Quantitative Biomedicine

• Siagnos Llc

Dr Dutta's professional endeavours significantly amplify his influence in neuroengineering and neurorehabilitation, extending far beyond his groundbreaking research. His dedication is evident through his prominent editorial leadership, strategic scientific collaborations, and robust industry partnerships.

Editorial Leadership

Dr. Dutta holds several high-impact editorial positions that enhance his visibility in the scientific community. He is an Associate Editor for Neural Technology at Frontiers in Neuroscience and for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Devices at Frontiers in Medical Technology. Additionally, he serves as an Associate Editor for Neurotechnology and Systems Neuroergonomics at Frontiers in Neuroergonomics and is an Editorial Board member for the Brain Sciences journal. His editorial expertise extends to guest editing special issues and serving as a Guest Associate Editor for Stroke and Neural Technology in Frontiers in Neurology and Frontiers in Neuroscience. His role as an ad-hoc reviewer for numerous prestigious journals, conferences, and scientific reports further showcases his expertise and influence in the field.

Professional Service

Dr Dutta has played pivotal roles in organizing and leading high-profile scientific events:

• 2024: Co-organizer of the Royal Society Discussion Meeting on "Digital Healthcare for the Management of Functional Neurological Disorders," scheduled for 25–26 November at the Royal Society, London.
• 2024: Co-organizer of the 4th Development Economics Conference at the University of Lincoln, featuring a special session on "The Economics of Inequality in Health Care," from 24–26 June.
• 2023: Co-organizer of the EPSRC Network+ NCODE-funded workshop on "Co-creation of Digital Health and Neurotechnology for Novel Therapies in Functional Neurological Disorders (FND)" held on 11 October at the University of Central Lancashire.
• 2022: Co-chair of Theme 12: Personalized Healthcare at the 44th International Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference (EMBC'22) in Glasgow, UK.
• 2020: Organizer of the Webinar Series on "Translational Research in Neuroengineering and Neurorehabilitation," funded by the Indian Ministry of Human Resource Development's SPARC program.
• 2019: Session organizer for "Neuroimaging Guided Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation in Health and Disease" at the International Conference on Complex Medical Engineering (CME 2019) in Dortmund, Germany.
• 2019: Session organizer for "Electromagnetic Stimulation of Cerebellum and Spinal Cord: Computational Modeling, Neuroimaging, and Physiological Evaluation" at RehabWeek 2019 in Toronto, Canada.
• 2018: Co-chair of Electrical Source Imaging (Theme 2) at the 40th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC'18) in Honolulu, HI.
• 2015: Co-chair of Neuromuscular Systems at the 7th International IEEE EMBS Conference on Neural Engineering in Montpellier, France.
• 2015: French coordinator of the Indo-French CEFIPRA workshop on "Understanding and Facilitation of Neural Plasticity for Enhancing Post-Stroke Recovery" at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, India.
• 2013: Session chair and organizer of the Indo-German DWIH Workshop on Neurobionics at the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research, India.

Academic and Industry Engagement

Dr. Dutta has made significant contributions to academia through leadership roles and program development. Notably, he served as the Programme Leader for the BEng (Hons) Biomedical Engineering at the University of Lincoln from 2022 to 2024 and was a Board of Studies Member for the Biomedical Engineering program at Amrita School of Engineering, Coimbatore, India in 2018 and 2020. He was also a member of the PhD Program in Biomedical Sciences Admissions Committee at the University at Buffalo (2016–2017). His expertise is internationally recognized, evidenced by invited talks such as the 2023 ICB Seminar on Neurovascular Coupling Methods in Warsaw, Poland, and his keynote speech at the BioX Annual Conference 2022 at the Indian Institute of Technology–Mandi. He has served on expert panels, including the 2020 VAIBHAV Summit in India.

Dr Dutta's industry involvement spans over a decade, reflecting his commitment to translating research into practical solutions. Demonstrating entrepreneurship and innovation, Dr. Dutta's projects were selected for the NSF I-Corps Site Program in 2018 and 2019, and he was a research spin-off semi-finalist at the 43North competition in 2015 and 2016. He has privately consulted for more than ten small to large neuroengineering companies across the USA, Europe, and India. As of 2024, he is a consultant for the RETRAIN trial on the geko™ device, based on his pioneering research conducted at his NIRlab at the University at Buffalo (DOI: 10.1109/EMBC46164.2021.9629721;  https://search.lib.buffalo.edu/permalink/01SUNY_BUF/8gn4ce/cdi_proquest_journals_2057213070).

These extensive editorial roles, leadership positions in organizing key scientific events, and active engagement with academia and industry not only enhance Dr. Dutta's visibility but also underscore his profound influence and leadership in the fields of neuroengineering and neurorehabilitation. His efforts continue to shape the future of these disciplines, fostering innovation and improving patient outcomes worldwide.