Philipp's Journey on Building Human-Centered Neuroscience With Brain Stimulation
Philipp Reber, M.S.
Lead Neuroscientist at Magnetic Tides / Research Engineer at UC Berkeley
M.S. in Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Maastricht University
B.S. in Science, Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University
B.E. in Engineering and Economics, The Berlin School of Economics and Law
Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Philipp, and I am a neuroscientist, engineer, and psychologist.
What is your current role at Magnetic Tides?
I am the Lead Neuroscientist at Magnetic Tides Inc., a biotech startup founded in close cooperation with the Cognition and Action Lab directed by Prof. Ivry at Berkeley. I lead research and engineering projects for a novel neuromodulation device headed to market. I chose this role over pursuing a PhD, because I see a great opportunity for me to learn and contribute to building something potentially groundbreaking.
What is the main academic interest or research question you are currently working on?
I’m most interested in developing personalized neuromodulation systems to support brain health in humans. At Magnetic Tides, we are developing kTMP (kilohertz Transcranial Magnetic Perturbation), a novel non-invasive magnetic induction method that enables strong continuous stimulation of the brain with unprecedented control over the waveform shape. Currently, my research focuses on investigating frequency-specific effects of kTMP on behavior, particularly motor control, to build a foundation for translating effective neuromodulation parameters into clinical applications, such as supporting recovery from chronic stroke.
What made you interested in your current project on neuromodulation?
kTMP addresses important limitations of existing brain stimulation methods. There are significant treatment gaps for many brain disorders—I love the idea of contributing to closing these gaps and helping people increase the quality of their lives.
What excites you about cognitive neuroscience and your field of study?
I find cognitive neuroscience fascinating because it connects brain function with behavior. The field is constantly evolving with new technologies like neuromodulation, neuroimaging, and AI, allowing us to get closer to understanding how we move, perceive, feel, and control our actions—and ultimately, develop better treatments for brain disorders.
What do you enjoy about research?
I appreciate the opportunity to think critically in research, be curious, and engineer new things. I love to conceptualize ideas, build experiments to test these ideas, analyze data, and make pretty figures. Mostly the figures.
What academic and career experiences led you to your current position?
I studied engineering and economics during my undergraduate degree in Germany. During my studies, I missed the human experience at the center of what I was doing, so I completed a second undergraduate degree in psychology and neuroscience, followed by graduate school in cognitive and clinical neuroscience in the Netherlands. During that time, I worked with psychiatric disorders, strongly driven by the aim to improve people’s lives through research.
My undergraduate thesis project was on solution-focused therapy for depression. The approach involved helping patients explore their capabilities, identify positive experiences, and focus on days when they felt better. This method is distinct from traditional cognitive behavioral therapy, which primarily focuses on analyzing problems and thought patterns.
Over time, I became interested in understanding causal links between clinical symptoms and brain activity, which is why I shifted my focus to cognitive neuroscience and neuromodulation. My graduate research focused on building a tACS (transcranial alternating current stimulation) system that adapts to physiological rhythms in real-time to enhance stimulation effects on interception.
Why did you decide not to pursue a PhD?
Initially, pursuing a PhD seemed like the logical next step. However, there was never a real match and I didn’t want to settle for a topic I was not passionate about only because it was available. I was also unwilling to accept the insufficient compensation that is offered in many places.
What do you see as the key differences between undergraduate and graduate education?
Graduate school offers more freedom and autonomy, particularly when it comes to pursuing independent projects. I really felt this contrast, especially since I did my undergraduate degree in Europe, where the curriculum is often more structured and rigid.
What is one thing you did during undergrad that helped you get the most out of the experience?
During my undergraduate years, I studied abroad, traveled a lot, and did an exchange semester in Chile. Once you start working full-time, there's simply less time for traveling longer periods of time and getting to know other languages and cultures. That said, I absolutely loved my time traveling in South America and Asia.
What is the driving force of your research that gets you going?
There’s a lot to learn, and I’m grateful to be surrounded by so many experts in different fields. Our brain stimulation technology holds significant potential—it could surpass other methods and, most importantly, help people live better lives. I’m committed to contributing to this effort.
Looking back, would you have predicted your current career path during or right after undergrad?
I wouldn’t have. I respect people who have clear future goals—what excites me evolves as I learn new things.
Interview data: 8/11/2023