Downstate Research Changes Brain Science Worldwide

By Office of the President | Feb 17, 2026

I am proud to share a milestone that reflects the strength of Downstate’s research enterprise and the global impact of our scientific community.

A discovery that began in a Downstate laboratory has grown into a worldwide platform for studying the human brain. This year, NIRx Medical Technologies, the company founded by Randall Barbour, Ph.D., Professor of Pathology at Downstate, joined Artinis Medical Systems, a Netherlands-based healthcare investment firm under Gilde Healthcare. The acquisition affirms the scientific foundation established at Downstate and recognizes the transformative impact of Dr. Barbour’s work.

For decades, brain imaging technologies required specialized facilities and tightly controlled environments. Researchers could not easily observe how the brain functions during everyday activity. Dr. Barbour and his team addressed that limitation by pioneering what would become known as functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).

Beginning in 1988, his laboratory demonstrated that processing light signals sensitive to hemoglobin could provide functional insights into living tissue. Supported by National Institutes of Health funding, patents, and peer-reviewed research, this work advanced from basic science to applied technology. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy uses safe, low-level light to measure changes in cerebral blood flow and oxygenation, direct indicators of neural activity. Because it does not require radiation and allows for natural movement, fNIRS enables researchers to study brain function in real-world settings.

Today, technology resulting from this Downstate discovery supports research at nearly 1,500 institutions across 63 countries. Scientists use these systems to study cognition, mental health, neurorehabilitation, education, and human development across the lifespan. What began at Downstate now shapes how investigators worldwide examine the living brain.

This achievement represents the full sweep of translational success. Since the launch of the National Institutes of Health’s Small Business Innovation Research (NIH SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs in 1982, nearly 36,000 grants have been awarded nationwide. Only a small number of academic institutions have translated federally supported research into technologies that achieve global commercial adoption and acquisition. This milestone places Downstate among that select group.

Dr. Barbour’s vision, persistence, and scientific leadership made this achievement possible. For nearly four decades, he advanced this work from foundational optical physics to practical brain-imaging systems used worldwide. He built the scientific framework, secured sustained federal funding, navigated the patent process, and translated discovery into enterprise. His career reflects the highest ideals of academic medicine: rigorous inquiry, disciplined innovation, and scholarship that expands human understanding.

He also strengthened Downstate’s research ecosystem along the way. NIRx became the first tenant in our Biotechnology Incubator, demonstrating how discovery at Downstate can evolve into scalable innovation. With support from the SUNY Research Foundation Technology Transfer Office and our institutional infrastructure, his work moved from laboratory to marketplace without losing its scientific integrity.

Dr. Barbour continues to advance this field. His ongoing research explores how physiological time-series measurements can reveal the molecular and cellular drivers of biological dynamics. Recent studies demonstrate that optical signatures can identify disease-relevant molecular biomarkers, including those guiding breast cancer treatment, without the need for tissue biopsy.

Congratulations to Dr. Barbour and his colleagues on this outstanding achievement. His contributions exemplify the intellectual strength and determination that define Downstate. This milestone is a source of institutional pride and a powerful reminder that discovery at Downstate shapes fields, advances science, and reaches far beyond our campus to improve lives around the world.