BME alum receives international award for dissertation

January 28, 2025 — Jules Anh Tuan Nguyen, an alumnus of the Department of Biomedical Engineering’s PhD program, recently received the SIU Prize Computer Science Silver Prize. The biennial award from Saigon International University (SIU) recognizes exceptional doctoral graduates of Vietnamese descent who defended their theses within the last five years.

Nguyen was recognized for the significance of his PhD dissertation, “A High-Precision Bioelectric Neural Interface Toward Human-Machine Symbiosis,” as the SIU Prize announcement reads:

Dr. Nguyen Anh Tuan’s dissertation, successfully defended at the University of Minnesota in 2021, has opened up a new era, enabling amputees to control human-like prosthetic limbs through neural interfaces. This is a significant leap forward in realizing the potential of human-machine symbiosis and significantly improving the quality of life for millions of people with motor impairments worldwide.

There were more than 100 nominations from 19 countries. The total prize is worth approximately $40,000.

“I am deeply grateful to the University of Minnesota for providing the mentorship and resources that made this achievement possible,” says Nguyen. He was advised by Zhi Yang, an Associate Professor with the Department of Biomedical Engineering.

Nguyen’s graduate research also received the Best Dissertation Award from the University of Minnesota in 2021. His research integrates advanced microchip technology and deep learning AI, and is enabling amputees to intuitively control prosthetic limbs through neural interfaces.

To date, he has published 19 papers in scientific journals and co-authored 2 book chapters. He also holds 2 U.S. patents with 10 more pending to be granted.

Nguyen is currently Vice President of Research and Development at Fasikl Inc. His team is currently preparing for clinical trials to commercialize a neural interface device he helped develop, which could someday benefit patients worldwide.