Five Questions With: Dr. Jon Mukand

"Biomedical technology is fascinating and important, but we should also ensure that people with disabilities have the best possible continuum of care for their essential needs." / COURTESY DR. JON MUKAND

Dr. Jon Mukand, a rehabilitation medicine specialist, is the medical director of North Providence-based Southern New England Rehabilitation Center and Warwick-based Sargent Rehabilitation Center.
Mukand also serves on the clinical faculty of Brown University and Tufts University.
Mukand talked to Providence Business News about his new book project, “Renovating the Brain: A biography of the most vital organ.” He previously wrote “The Main with the Bionic Brain,” about his patient, Matthew Nagle, who although fully paralyzed, was able to control a computer cursor after neurosurgeons implanted micro-electrodes in his brain through technology called “BrainGate.”
Mukand also talked about advances in biotechnology with Providence Business News.

PBN: Tell me about your new book, “Renovating the Brain: A biography of the most vital organ.”
MUKAND:
RTB is a blend of medical narrative, history and memoir. I describe some of my most unusual and inspiring patients and interweave the history of the brain. For instance, the first chapter is about an Iraq veteran with a brain injury and I also discuss how the ancient Egyptians would have treated him, based on translations of a medical papyrus. The last chapter is about rapid cognitive decline and it includes our current knowledge of the biochemistry and neurophysiology of Alzheimer’s dementia. In the Afterword I discuss the future of the brain and explore the cultural context of disability.

PBN: What kind of a reaction did you get to 2012’s “The Man with the Bionic Brain?” How did you feel about being a finalist for the 2014 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing award from Stanford University?
MUKAND:
It was gratifying to receive favorable reviews from Booklist, Library Journal and the Washington Post. The book was also selected for review by the LA Times Book Awards Panel in the Science/Technology category. It was an honor to be considered [for the award], especially as the award focuses on the quality of the writing.

PBN: Are more patients now using the BrainGate system that Matthew Nagle used, and did you personally get more requests for it after the book came out?
MUKAND:
Seven patients are enrolled in the BrainGate2 study. Yes [there were more requests], but the criteria for enrollment are strict, so I had to turn away many patients; [Patients must have severe paralysis, but intact cognitive function].

PBN: How has the use of biotechnology in medical devices grown in the last five years? Where do you see this kind of technology going in the next five years?
MUKAND:
There have been remarkable advances, as evidenced by the 2014 Nobel Prize being awarded to researchers who studied the GPS system of the brain. There are many exciting developments. Professor John Donoghue and the team at Brown University are working on wireless systems, to avoid connecting patients to computers via cables. Another long-term goal is to send the brain signals directly to the patient’s muscles.

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PBN: What other projects do you have in the works?
MUKAND:
Biomedical technology is fascinating and important, but we should also ensure that people with disabilities have the best possible continuum of care for their essential needs. The Southern New England Rehabilitation Center is part of CharterCARE Health Partners, and we are developing a seamless network that includes the acute hospital (Fatima Hospital and Roger Williams Medical Center), acute inpatient rehabilitation (SNERC), subacute rehabilitation (Elmhurst), home care and outpatient care. This system will ensure optimal outcomes by avoiding complications such as pressure ulcers and depression as well as helping patients reach their fullest rehabilitation potential.

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