Groundbreaking Belfast-based global medtech company Neurovalens creates neurostimulation technology that non-invasively treats neurological diseases.
The Modius range of medical devices removes the need for surgical implantation and allows for much earlier intervention in the treatment pathway.
Merging neuroscience and groundbreaking technology, the global health-tech company, which was started by Dr Jason McKeown and Paul McGeoch in 2015, aims to provide drug-free solutions to the worlds greatest health epidemics including: Insomnia, Anxiety, PTSD and a range of metabolic diseases.
Neurovalens has been going from strength to strength, having recently secured FDA clearance for its non-invasive device designed to treat generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). They also have a device approved for the treatment of insomnia, and recently successfully completed their Type 2 Diabetes clinical trial.
READ MORE: Belfast-based company receives FDA clearance for medical device to treat anxiety
Sync NI sat down with Sinead Watson, Head of Clinical and Regulatory at Neurovalens, who has been an integral part of the Belfast-based company for two years this September, to discover more about her fascinating role and how she entered the flourishing medtech sector.
Sinead, who lives in Castlewellan, leads a “diverse and high-performing” team of six members in Belfast. But Sinead hasn’t always worked within the thriving technology sector, having begun her career by completing a PhD with Queen’s University Belfast in 2013 in Public Health Nutrition. Sinead then went on to work in academia for Queen’s for nine years as a Research Fellow on various projects ranging from Global Health, to Nutrition, Dental Health and more.
Sinead felt ready for a new challenge, which led her to a serendipitous careers fair at which Neurovalens was taking part. “I was really interested in the company,” Sinead explains. “Particularly the neurostimulation technology and how it is non-invasive, drug-free, and can be used at home. It is making a real difference to people’s lives.
“I was also inspired by the growth of the company because it is a start-up, and it has been really establishing itself as a leader in the neurostimulation field. A job opportunity came up and I was very excited to apply.”
Pictured: The Belfast Neurovalens team
Sinead, who studied life sciences subjects at school and university, reveals her interest in STEM began at a young age: “I was interested in the life sciences as well as the importance of consuming a healthy diet, exercising and all of the subsequent benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle; from preventing disease and increasing life expectancy.
“I have always had a passion for learning and acquiring new knowledge around health. So I continued my studies and did a Master’s in Public Health and during my Master’s degree a large component was research-based. We had to carry out our own research project: where we recruited participants; collected data; analysed our findings; and reported it. I really loved that process from start to finish, which prompted me to stay at Queen’s and do a PHD in the area of Public Health Nutrition and ultimately led to a career in health related research.”
With her own career in mind, Sinead is keen to emphasize to women and young girls the value of transferable skills, especially when it comes to working in the tech sector.
“Where I started is completely different to where I am now,” Sinead explains. “I am no longer in the nutrition-related area and have moved over to a medical device company, which is why I would encourage people not to limit their options.
“You can find great opportunities in areas that you may not have actually considered before, but all of the skills and knowledge that you have acquired are transferable.
“Sometimes people think their career has to follow one linear line, but I think that can be narrow-minded. I would encourage people to be a lot more open and look for those broader opportunities.”
Sinead is keen young girls do not believe the traditional stereotype of what it may be like working in the male-dominated technology sector, where women make up just 24 per cent of the sector in Northern Ireland.
“I would encourage women and young girls who are interested in a career within the technology sector to ignore those traditional stereotypes and encourage women to step out of your comfort zone.
“If you are interested in pursuing a career within a STEM-related area, then you should really go for it! You spend such a large proportion of your life working, so it is important to do something you are passionate about.
“It is really worthwhile seeking advice from a mentor or a role model, to help you build your confidence, who can give you guidance and advice for a career in this path.
“Do not limit your options and you will find great opportunities you may never have considered before.
“Many companies now offer equal employment opportunities, and offer equal promotion opportunities, equal pay and flexible working, but I do think those stereotypes perhaps still exist. We need to do more to educate and promote it as a career.
“At Neurovalens we have a great balance of gender diversity on the team which is vital, because it is clear that to be a high-performing team you need diversity. You need those different perspectives and strengths to foster that environment for innovation, creativity and problem-solving.”
Indeed, Sinead points to a “standout moment” from her career with Neurovalens, when in October 2023 she led a team which obtained the first regulatory approval from the FDA for the Neurovalens Modius Sleep Device, which treats chronic insomnia. “I led the clinical team for the rigorous process, and it was a significant milestone for the company to achieve. Incidentally, the team that helped me to achieve this were all women. It was very rewarding and fulfilling for us all that we had achieved such an exciting milestone.”
In terms of plans for the future, there are many more exciting developments to come from the team at Neurovalens. “Our PTSD study will be completed at the end of this year and the Type 2 Diabetes study has now finished, so we will be focusing on getting the data from those studies analyzed and written up before applying for FDA approval. A lot of our devices will also be available to sell in Europe, so we are working on regulatory approval for this at the moment for our Modius Sleep device and our Modius Stress device for anxiety.
“We are also planning a remote-based study in Major Depressive Disorder in the US but also in collaboration with Ulster University, so there will be a UK site as well. We are currently designing the study and have already obtained ethical approval in the US.”
Learn more here: Neurovalens.
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