Warren M. Grill
Director, Center for Neural Engineering & Neurotechnology
Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Overview
Our research employs engineering approaches to understand and control neural function. We work on fundamental questions and applied development in electrical stimulation of the nervous system to restore function to individuals with neurological impairment or injury.
Current projects include:
• understanding the mechanisms of and developing advanced approaches to deep brain stimulation to treat movement disorders,
• developing novel approaches to peripheral nerve electrical stimulation for restoration of bladder function,
• understanding the mechanisms of and developing advanced approaches to spinal cord stimulation to treat chronic pain,
• understanding and controlling the cellular effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation, and
• design of novel electrodes and waveforms for selective stimulation of the nervous system.
Selected Grants
NINDS Research Education Programs for Residents and Fellows in Neurosurgery awarded by National Institutes of Health (Mentor). 2009 to 2025
Neurobiology Training Program awarded by National Institutes of Health (Mentor). 2019 to 2024
Duke KURe Program awarded by National Institutes of Health (Mentor). 2013 to 2023
Predicting Urinary Continence Status with Sacral Neuromodulation and Botulinum Toxin Treatments awarded by National Institutes of Health (Co-Mentor). 2020 to 2023
Developing a comprehensive model for peripheral nerve stimulation of gastrointestinal function awarded by National Institutes of Health (Co Investigator). 2019 to 2023
Underactive Bladder: Mechanisms and Recovery of Sensation and Function awarded by National Institutes of Health (Mentor). 2019 to 2023
Analysis and Design of µECoG Array Characteristics for Optimized Signal Acquisition awarded by National Institutes of Health (Co-Mentor). 2020 to 2023
Temporal Patterns of Spinal Cord Stimulation awarded by National Institutes of Health (Principal Investigator). 2019 to 2022
Neural Electrodes with Enhanced Charge Injection and Reduced Interfacial Impedance Using Graphenated Carbon Nanotubes Coated With Atomic Layer-Deposited Platinum Nanoparticles awarded by National Institutes of Health (Co Investigator). 2020 to 2022
Temporal Patterns of Deep Brain Stimulation awarded by National Institutes of Health (Principal Investigator). 2004 to 2022
Pages
Hokanson, J. A., et al. “Neuroprosthetic control of lower urinary tract function.” Neuroprosthetics: Theory and Practice: Second Edition, 2017, pp. 537–65. Scopus, doi:10.1142/9789813207158_0017. Full Text
Howell, B., and W. M. Grill. “Design of electrodes for stimulation and recording.” Implantable Neuroprostheses for Restoring Function, 2015, pp. 59–93. Scopus, doi:10.1016/B978-1-78242-101-6.00004-5. Full Text
Howell, Bryan, and Warren M. Grill. “Computational Models to Optimize the Electrodes and Waveforms for Deep Brain Stimulation.” Encyclopedia of Computational Neuroscience, edited by Dieter Jaeger and Ranu Jung, Springer, 2014.
McGee, Meredith, and Warren M. Grill. “Methodologies for the Restoration of Bladder and Bowel Functions.” Encyclopedia of Computational Neuroscience, edited by Dieter Jaeger and Ranu Jung, Springer, 2014.
Medina, Leonel E., and Warren M. Grill. “Mammalian Motor Nerve Fibers, Models of.” Encyclopedia of Computational Neuroscience, edited by Dieter Jaeger and Ranu Jung, Springer, 2014.
Grill, W. M. “Signal considerations for chronically implanted electrodes for brain interfacing.” Indwelling Neural Implants: Strategies for Contending with the in Vivo Environment, 2007, pp. 41–61.
Lee, D. C., et al. “Extracellular electrical stimulation of central neurons: Quantitative studies.” Handbook of Neuroprosthetic Methods, 2002, pp. 95–125.
Nicolai, Evan N., et al. “Sources of off-target effects of vagus nerve stimulation using the helical clinical lead in domestic pigs.” Journal of Neural Engineering, June 2020. Epmc, doi:10.1088/1741-2552/ab9db8. Full Text
Langdale, Christopher L., et al. “Stimulation of the pelvic nerve increases bladder capacity in the PGE2 cat model of overactive bladder.” American Journal of Physiology. Renal Physiology, vol. 318, no. 6, June 2020, pp. F1357–68. Epmc, doi:10.1152/ajprenal.00068.2020. Full Text
Yu, Chunxiu, et al. “Frequency-Specific Optogenetic Deep Brain Stimulation of Subthalamic Nucleus Improves Parkinsonian Motor Behaviors.” The Journal of Neuroscience : The Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience, vol. 40, no. 22, May 2020, pp. 4323–34. Epmc, doi:10.1523/jneurosci.3071-19.2020. Full Text
Settell, Megan L., et al. “Functional vagotopy in the cervical vagus nerve of the domestic pig: implications for the study of vagus nerve stimulation.” Journal of Neural Engineering, vol. 17, no. 2, Apr. 2020, p. 026022. Epmc, doi:10.1088/1741-2552/ab7ad4. Full Text
Grill, Warren M., and Amorn Wongsarnpigoon. “Energy Optimal Stimulation Waveforms, Or Not: Comments on "An Investigation of Neural Stimulation Efficiency With Gaussian Waveforms".” Ieee Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering : A Publication of the Ieee Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, Mar. 2020. Epmc, doi:10.1109/tnsre.2020.2984402. Full Text
Pelot, N. A., and W. M. Grill. “In vivo quantification of excitation and kilohertz frequency block of the rat vagus nerve.” Journal of Neural Engineering, vol. 17, no. 2, Mar. 2020, p. 026005. Epmc, doi:10.1088/1741-2552/ab6cb6. Full Text
Schmidt, Stephen L., et al. “Continuous deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus may not modulate beta bursts in patients with Parkinson's disease.” Brain Stimul, vol. 13, no. 2, Mar. 2020, pp. 433–43. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.brs.2019.12.008. Full Text
Swan, Brandon D., et al. “Effects of ramped-frequency thalamic deep brain stimulation on tremor and activity of modeled neurons.” Clin Neurophysiol, vol. 131, no. 3, Mar. 2020, pp. 625–34. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.clinph.2019.11.060. Full Text
Ramirez-Zamora, Adolfo, et al. “Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Deep Brain Stimulation Think Tank: Advances in Neurophysiology, Adaptive DBS, Virtual Reality, Neuroethics and Technology.” Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, vol. 14, Jan. 2020, p. 54. Epmc, doi:10.3389/fnhum.2020.00054. Full Text
Aberra, Aman S., et al. “Simulation of transcranial magnetic stimulation in head model with morphologically-realistic cortical neurons.” Brain Stimul, vol. 13, no. 1, Jan. 2020, pp. 175–89. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.brs.2019.10.002. Full Text
Pages
Gao, Q., et al. “Model-based design of closed loop deep brain stimulation controller using reinforcement learning.” Proceedings 2020 Acm/Ieee 11th International Conference on Cyber Physical Systems, Iccps 2020, 2020, pp. 108–18. Scopus, doi:10.1109/ICCPS48487.2020.00018. Full Text
Jovanov, I., et al. “Platform for Model-Based Design and Testing for Deep Brain Stimulation.” Proceedings 9th Acm/Ieee International Conference on Cyber Physical Systems, Iccps 2018, 2018, pp. 263–74. Scopus, doi:10.1109/ICCPS.2018.00033. Full Text
Jovanov, I., et al. “Learning-Based Control Design for Deep Brain Stimulation.” Proceedings 9th Acm/Ieee International Conference on Cyber Physical Systems, Iccps 2018, 2018, pp. 349–50. Scopus, doi:10.1109/ICCPS.2018.00048. Full Text
Lubba, C., et al. “Real-time decoding of bladder pressure from pelvic nerve activity CP.” International Ieee/Embs Conference on Neural Engineering, Ner, 2017, pp. 617–20. Scopus, doi:10.1109/NER.2017.8008427. Full Text
Behrend, C. E., et al. “Quantification of beta activity with disease progression in EEG recordings in Parkinson's disease patients.” Movement Disorders, vol. 30, WILEY-BLACKWELL, 2015, pp. S31–S31.
Medina, L. E., and W. M. Grill. “Phantom model of transcutaneous electrical stimulation with kilohertz signals.” International Ieee/Embs Conference on Neural Engineering, Ner, vol. 2015-July, 2015, pp. 430–33. Scopus, doi:10.1109/NER.2015.7146651. Full Text
Pelot, N. A., et al. “Modeling the response of small myelinated and unmyelinated axons to kilohertz frequency signals.” International Ieee/Embs Conference on Neural Engineering, Ner, vol. 2015-July, 2015, pp. 406–09. Scopus, doi:10.1109/NER.2015.7146645. Full Text
McConnell, G. C., and W. M. Grill. “Stimulation location within the substantia nigra pars reticulata differentially modulates gait in hemiparkinsonian rats.” International Ieee/Embs Conference on Neural Engineering, Ner, 2013, pp. 1210–13. Scopus, doi:10.1109/NER.2013.6696157. Full Text
McGee, M. J., and W. M. Grill. “Temporal patterns of pudendal afferent stimulation modulate reflex bladder activation.” International Ieee/Embs Conference on Neural Engineering, Ner, 2013, pp. 843–46. Scopus, doi:10.1109/NER.2013.6696066. Full Text
Howell, B., and W. M. Grill. “Model-based optimization of electrode designs for deep brain stimulation.” International Ieee/Embs Conference on Neural Engineering, Ner, 2013, pp. 154–57. Scopus, doi:10.1109/NER.2013.6695895. Full Text
Pages
Grill, Warren, and Guosheng Yi. Data and code from: Waveforms optimized to produce closed-state Na+ inactivation eliminate onset response in nerve conduction block. 19 May 2020. Manual, doi:10.7924/r4z31t79k. Full Text