Bio-Electronics: A New Business Controlling Human Organs With Electronic Implants

 

The Google company Verily Life Sciences is teaming up with pharmaceutical firm GlaxoSmithKline to develop implants that will fix problems in our organs using electricity.

To do this, the firms are setting up a new company in the UK, called Galvani Bioelectronics, which will receive up to £540 million over the next seven years.

The idea behind bio-electronic implants is to modify nerve signals in ways that will fix or counteract problems in the body – a bit like heart pacemakers and defibrillator implants already do. The plan is to develop tiny implants that can connect to the nerves linked to specific organs, and for these implants to be powered wirelessly and operate automatically.

Wired up

“Many of the processes of the human body are controlled by electrical signals firing between the nervous system and the body’s organs, which may become distorted in many chronic diseases,” said Moncef Slaoui, at GSK, who will chair the board of Galvani Bioelectronics.

As well as stimulating or inhibiting nerve signals, such devices could in theory also monitor natural nerve signal traffic, and act when something goes wrong.

Devices that modify neural circuits do already exist. Last year, the US Food and Drug Administration approved a device that blocks signals along the vagus nerve to treat obesity. Electrodes in the brain have been used in efforts to relieve multiple conditions, including epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and depression.

But GSK hopes to develop more precise implants. “In 10 years’ time, I think it’s very realistic to imagine that if you have type 2 diabetes, you could go to your specialist to have bio-electronic medical treatment,” said Kris Famm of GSK, who will be president of the new company. “You’d be sent to a surgeon to have keyhole surgery to implant the device, and then go back to the specialist to have it programmed.”

New Scientist

« Cybersecurity Issues Are M&A Deal Breakers
UK Security Agencies Say Mass Internet Spying Is Crucial »

CyberSecurity Jobsite
Perimeter 81

Directory of Suppliers

TÜV SÜD Academy UK

TÜV SÜD Academy UK

TÜV SÜD offers expert-led cybersecurity training to help organisations safeguard their operations and data.

CSI Consulting Services

CSI Consulting Services

Get Advice From The Experts: * Training * Penetration Testing * Data Governance * GDPR Compliance. Connecting you to the best in the business.

Authentic8

Authentic8

Authentic8 transforms how organizations secure and control the use of the web with Silo, its patented cloud browser.

ManageEngine

ManageEngine

As the IT management division of Zoho Corporation, ManageEngine prioritizes flexible solutions that work for all businesses, regardless of size or budget.

Infosecurity Europe, 3-5 June 2025, ExCel London

Infosecurity Europe, 3-5 June 2025, ExCel London

This year, Infosecurity Europe marks 30 years of bringing the global cybersecurity community together to further our joint mission of Building a Safer Cyber World.

MarQuest

MarQuest

MarQuest provides services and systems to enhance network reliability and security.

Genie Networks

Genie Networks

Genie Networks is a leading technology company providing networking and security solutions for optimizing the performance of large networks.

IPCopper

IPCopper

IPCopper specializes in network packet capture appliances for cybersecurity, cybersurveillance and network monitoring, and encrypted data storage.

Picasso

Picasso

The Picasso project is focused on ICT Policy, Research and Innovation for a Smart Society: towards new avenues in EU-US ICT collaboration.

OSIRIS Lab - NYU Tandon

OSIRIS Lab - NYU Tandon

The Offensive Security, Incident Response & Internet Security Lab (OSIRIS) is a security research environment where students analyze and understand how attackers take advantage of real systems.

exceet Secure Solutions

exceet Secure Solutions

exceet Secure Solutions is your experienced specialist for Internet of Things (IoT), Heath Telematics, electronic signatures and timestamps and IT security.

GoCyber

GoCyber

GoCyber is a new, highly innovative cyber security training app that uses action based learning to significantly improve the online behaviour of all employees in less than a month.

Cyber Security & Cloud Expo

Cyber Security & Cloud Expo

The Cyber Security & Cloud Expo is an international event series in London, Amsterdam and Silicon Valley.

Cyber Threat Defense (CT Defense)

Cyber Threat Defense (CT Defense)

CT Defense specialize in penetration testing and security assessments.

Accelerator Frankfurt

Accelerator Frankfurt

Accelerator Frankfurt is an independent go-to-market program focused on Fintech, Cybersecurity and Digital B2B startups.

N8 Identity

N8 Identity

N8 Identity helps organizations realize the vision of Autonomous Identity Governance™ with AI-driven Identity solutions.

Secure Diversity

Secure Diversity

Secure Diversity is an innovative non-profit organization with leaders that think out of the box to create strategies & solutions to increase diversity in the cybersecurity industry.

Intigriti

Intigriti

Intigriti helps companies protect themselves from cybercrime. Our community of ethical hackers provides continuous, realistic security testing to protect our customer’s assets and brand.

ZainTech

ZainTech

Zaintech is a regional digital & ICT solutions provider offering comprehensive digital solutions and services to enterprise and government customers in the MENA region.

Scality

Scality

Scality storage unifies data management from edge to core to cloud. Our market-leading file and object storage software protects data on-premises and in hybrid and multi-cloud environments.

NopalCyber

NopalCyber

NopalCyber makes cybersecurity manageable, affordable, reliable, and powerful for companies that need to be resilient and compliant.