Sam’s journey into neurotechnology started with a very personal event. When his cousin had a stroke at just 11 years old, the long wait for a treatment that never came left a deep impression. It made Sam question the limits of current medical technology and sparked a lasting curiosity about the brain.
That curiosity grew into a passion for understanding cerebral blood flow, eventually leading to his undergraduate thesis: "Astrocytes are more important than neurons." Through this, he explored how neuroanatomy supports human development and behaviour. Later, while helping his cousin with rehabilitation, the two of them imagined a new kind of medical device - one that could work with the body’s own signals to support recovery from paralysis.
As a Frontier Fellow, Sam continued developing his innovative technology to create Myonerv: a wearable electrical biofeedback stimulator that monitors and treats paralysis in stroke patients.
Right now, there’s no easy-to-use device that connects muscle intent with therapeutic stimulation in real time. Sam wants to change that. His approach brings together advanced conductive polymers, custom circuitry, and real-world experience of stroke rehabilitation. He’s asking what could happen if stroke recovery was made more immediate, more responsive, and more human.
Myonerv isn't just a device, but a way out of the darkness for people with paralysis. The existing cobweb of complicated equipment is trapping patients within their disabilities, and separating caregivers from providing more help. The Frontier Fellowship provides me an unprecedented platform where I can design, build and test Myonerv prototypes. So we can shine a light on the path that brings patient control back in their hands
| Highlights | Context | More info |
|---|---|---|
| The creation of Myonerv | Sam describes the 'eureka moment' when Myonerv became an idea. | Read here |
| JP Morgan's Healthcare week 2026 | Sam was in San Francsico at JP Morgan's Healthcare week, networking, and presenting Myonerv. | Watch here |
| Venture Cafe Manchester | Myonerv was featured on Venture Cafe Manchester highlighting the brilliance of Myonerv's technology. | Watch here |
