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Charles Caskey and Keith Murphy

fus Forward

A Life Sciences and Science podcast

#157 in Life Sciences · 🇫🇷
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About the show

Ultrasound deep brain stimulation has it all: sci-fi vibes, medical promise, even a hint of remote mind control, but it’s been missing one thing: two rad dudes with a podcast. FUS Forward is a neurotechnology show about non-invasive focused ultrasound brain stimulation, hosted by Charles Caskey, Professor of Vanderbilt University and Keith Murphy, Co-founder & CTO, Attune Neurosciences. Join us as we explore the challenges, conundrums, and wins in this mind-bending field. (Views expressed are those of the hosts and do not represent Vanderbilt Univ or Attune Neurosciences Inc.)

Newest episodes

Ep. 22 Brad Treeby once and for all

54 min

After a long hibernation, Keith and Charles awake to find k-Wave creator and legendary acoustic simulation scientist Brad Treeby. Brad tells the gang a tale of courage, leaving a life held dear to reinvent how a full-head arrays couple through the hair, and what it’s like to sit inside one. Join your fussiest friends to hear all about the launch of Neuroharmonics hair rockets, the origins of k-Wave, Midjourneys ultrasound CT, academia-industry clash, and why no one reads the k-wave manual.

Ep. 21 Phoenix Peng across the world

47 min

On the tailwinds of major commercial success across tech sectors, Phoenix Peng has set his sights on focused ultrasound as a new kind of BCI. Join the gang in this whole heart episode as they discuss the origins and plans for Gestala, a convergence of AI and the brain, and a vision for global research partnerships.

Ep. 20 Zhihai Qiu unheard of

43 min

This month we're joined by Zhihai Qiu, principle investigator at the Guandong Institute of Science and Technology. While many know him as the first scientist to genetically encode ultrasound sensitivity into the mammalian brain, we know him as a compassionate researcher and friend of the community; driven by curiosity and deep collaboration. Listen in as we follow his journey as a physicist turned geneticist turned neuroscientist, a life across continents, and what he believes to be a bright future for us all. https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(20)31018-4

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All episodes

Ep. 22 Brad Treeby once and for all

54 min

After a long hibernation, Keith and Charles awake to find k-Wave creator and legendary acoustic simulation scientist Brad Treeby. Brad tells the gang a tale of courage, leaving a life held dear to reinvent how a full-head arrays couple through the hair, and what it’s like to sit inside one. Join your fussiest friends to hear all about the launch of Neuroharmonics hair rockets, the origins of k-Wave, Midjourneys ultrasound CT, academia-industry clash, and why no one reads the k-wave manual.

Ep. 21 Phoenix Peng across the world

47 min

On the tailwinds of major commercial success across tech sectors, Phoenix Peng has set his sights on focused ultrasound as a new kind of BCI. Join the gang in this whole heart episode as they discuss the origins and plans for Gestala, a convergence of AI and the brain, and a vision for global research partnerships.

Ep. 20 Zhihai Qiu unheard of

43 min

This month we're joined by Zhihai Qiu, principle investigator at the Guandong Institute of Science and Technology. While many know him as the first scientist to genetically encode ultrasound sensitivity into the mammalian brain, we know him as a compassionate researcher and friend of the community; driven by curiosity and deep collaboration. Listen in as we follow his journey as a physicist turned geneticist turned neuroscientist, a life across continents, and what he believes to be a bright future for us all. https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(20)31018-4

Ep. 19 Lennart Verhagen a very fus future

48 min

This week, Keith and Charles catch up with an old friend, founder of the International Transcranial Ultrasound Safety and Standards Consortium, Associate Professor at Radboud University, and just possibly an avid FUS Forward listener (??), Lennart Verhagen. Since hosting the very first ultrasound neuromodulation conference in Oxford in 2019, Lennart has been fighting to build a community and stable science one brick at a time. Follow our journey through fear, memory, and fantastic futures as we stare deep into the looking glass.

Ep. 17 Miriam Klein-Flügge faces of fear

49 min

This week, the team welcomes Dr. Mirian Klein-Flügge to discuss her latest work stimulating the amygdala and modifying emotional perception of faces. From molecular mapping MRI, to E/I balance, this episode has alot to showcase on experimental design and the massive potential of brief ultrasound stimuli. Check out the new paper here! https://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(26)00172-8

Ep. 16 Jean-Francois Aubry one with waves

1 hr 15 min

In a field moving this fast, it's important to remember that everything we take for granted was someone's lifetime of dedication. In our journey to collect their untold stories we catch up with one of the fields heroes, Jean-Francois Aubry, the Director of Research at the French National Center for Scientific Research, the Scientific Director of the Focused Ultrasound Foundation Center of Excellence at Physics for Medicine Paris, and co-founder of SonoMind. This episode is a wealth of historical context for acoustic array and lens design, through-skull transmit-receive, first steps in safely modulating the brain, scientific mentorship, and a forward looking sentiment for the mass treatment of depression. It is an absolute must listen for all those in the space.

Ep. 15 Jamie Tyler earthbound

1 hr 6 min

Everyone in ultrasound neuromodulation has heard the story; a young man who came and went like the wind, leaving shock, awe, and promise of a great new technology. A resurgence born out of bumping speakers and majestic minis. 18 years later, the gang finds Jamie Tyler locked in a bank safe, surrounded by a glowing galaxy lighting the walls, eager to hear about where he's been and, more importantly, where he's headed next.

Ep. 14 Taylor Webb & Sam Clinard skull crazy

1 hr 10 min

The skull cap gang has assembled for this riveting episode with Taylor Webb and Sam Clinard from the University of Utah. We talk about their development of a new MR hydrophone method, biomarkers for estimating dose, and the legacy of MR skull acoustic properties.

Ep. 13 Amy Kruse a bet on the brain

1 hr 2 min

This week, the gang is joined by Dr. Amy Kruse, Chief Investment Officer of Satori Neuro, where she reveals her philosophy around neurotechnology investing and how aspiring scientists can best position themselves for the bright future ahead.

Ep. 12 Pengfei Song in bubble trouble

1 hr 5 min

This week, the gang heads out west with Pengfei Song, Associate Professor at Duke University. They get into functional ultrasound brain imaging, the implications of vascular microbubbles, shear wave neuromodulation possibilities, and next generation brain computer interfaces.

Ep. 11 Why the double PRF?

29 min

Follow the FUS busters on their epic journey to untangle the origins of the double pulse repetition frequency. Be warned, you may not like what you find!

Ep. 10 Sam Pichardo simulation dreams

49 min

This week we join Dr. Samuel Pichardo to discuss pushing acoustic simulations to the limit with plans for BabelBrain 1.0, how essential tremor is n his crosshairs, and how electrical fields can steer the focus of a single element transducer.

Ep. 9 Jon Nelson not without love

48 min

Lived experience and mental health advocate Jon Nelson brings the reality of mental health front and center, from deep brain stimulation to an even deeper stigmatization.

Ep. 8 Self experimentation

17 min

Not the first, and definitely not the last time the gang discusses the growing prevalence of self experimentation as FUS gets wind in its sails. Listen in on thoughts around barrier to entry, a viral twitter post, chasing ghosts, and vagus nerve modulation.

Ep. 7 Elly Martin a life metrological

1 hr 4 min

This week Elly Martin, Associate Professor of University College London, joins the squad to talk about cryogenic ultrasonic unfreezing of living tissue, UCL's brain wide hemispheric interface, and the art of metrology.

Ep. 6 Noah Philip beneath the veil

1 hr 7 min

Noah Philip, Professor at Brown University joins the pack to discuss what's been going on inside one of the most secretive efforts in focused ultrasound neuromodulation. This episode covers new findings his work with amygdala stimulation in PTSD, the honors of working with veterans, how old stim habits die hard, and some hot takes on wellness devices gone clinical.

Ep. 5 Raag Airan ultrasound brainwashing

1 hr 1 min

This week Raag Airan joins the crew to change the way we think about ultrasound interactions with the brain. Follow along as we chat about using ultrasound to locally release drugs, clearing metabolites and particulates for stroke and dementia, and how he thinks about tradeoffs between exploration and scientific rigor. Check out Raags latest (FUS) win below https://www.nature.com/articles/s41587-025-02866-8

Ep. 3 Elsa Fouragnan hacking brain reward systems

1 hr 20 min

Join the gang as they catch up with fus Forward friend and expert Elsa Fouragnan to explore precision hacking of reward system through nucleus accumbens stimulation and all the practical and ethical implications in between.

Ep. 2 What we know and what we don't

40 min

This week Keith and Charles go 0 to 10 on all things ultrasound neuromodulation, rating how well we know a number of topics ranging from mechanisms to through-skull transmit.

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