Program Director, HEAL Initiative, BRAIN Initiative, SPARC Program, and Translational Neural Devices, NIH
Eric Hudak, Ph.D. is a Program Director in the Division of Translational Research at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Dr. Hudak manages a portfolio of NINDS, HEAL Initiative, and BRAIN Initiative translational device awards in the areas of brain-computer interfaces (for prosthesis control, sensory perception, and communication), sensory prostheses, peripheral and spinal devices for pain, and neural-controlled prosthetic limbs. Additionally, Dr. Hudak is the program lead for the HEAL Initiative Translational Devices program and the HEAL Diversity Supplement program, and is a co-lead for the SPARC HORNET program. Dr. Hudak received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Chemistry from The University of Toledo (2004 – Toledo, OH) and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University (2011 – Cleveland, OH). As a graduate student, Dr. Hudak examined the electrochemistry of platinum and conductive-diamond electrodes to uncover potential causes of tissue damage from electrical stimulation and to point to ways of improving the use of these materials in neural stimulation applications. Before joining the NIH in 2019, Dr. Hudak was a Principal Research Scientist in the Department of Research & Technology at Advanced Bionics, a leading producer of cochlear implants. At Advanced Bionics, Dr. Hudak led research projects to enhance the properties, safety, and reliability of cochlear implant device materials and components, including electrodes, electrode arrays, feedthroughs, insulation materials, connectors, and medical batteries.