Dr. Ladan Jiracek - My PhD Defense, LCP Neural Implants, and What's Next
Neural Implant podcast - the people behind Brain-Machine Interface revolutions · Ladan Jiracek
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Show Notes
In this solo episode of the Neural Implant Podcast, host Dr. Ladan Jiracek shares the story behind finally completing his PhD at the University of Florida - from the highs of passing his dissertation defense to the long, frustrating, and deeply technical journey of developing liquid crystal polymer (LCP)-based neural implants. I break down why LCP is so promising for long-term implantable devices, how delamination and bonding challenges became the core focus of his dissertation, and what it took to fabricate ultra-thin polymer electrodes approaching "biological invisibility." I also reflects on the unpredictable nature of the PhD timeline, how the podcast helped shape his network, and what's next as he continues in the lab as a postdoc while building IntimaStim, my startup focused on restoring sexual function after spinal cord injury.