Fabien Wagner leads the Translational Research in Assistive and Interventional Neurotechnologies (TRAIN) team at the Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases (IMN), which develops and investigates neuromodulation strategies to improve motor and cognitive functions in neurological disorders and following injury. The team combines mechanistic investigations, preclinical research, and clinical studies to advance brain and spinal cord neurotechnologies.
During his PhD at Brown University (USA), Fabien combined optogenetic stimulation with microelectrode array recordings to investigate the transition to epileptic seizures in rodent models of epilepsy. During his postdoctoral research at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL, Switzerland), he developed spinal cord neuroprostheses to restore locomotion, first in non-human primates and subsequently in people with spinal cord injury as part of a first-in-human clinical study.
In 2020, Fabien joined the Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases (IMN) in Bordeaux, where he established a new research team to extend neuroprosthetic approaches to cognitive impairments. This research was supported by a Neurocampus Chair for Young Group Leaders from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region (2020–2023) and a European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant (2022–2027). In 2024, he joined the VBHI, where he is investigating the potential of non-invasive brain stimulation to improve cognitive functions in people with neurovascular disorders, alongside complementary approaches such as EEG biomarkers and cognitive training, in collaboration with Inria researchers Amélie Aussel, Hélène Sauzéon, and Fabien Lotte. He is also a member of the VBHI Board of Directors.
Before having children, Fabien enjoyed outdoor activities such as skydiving and scuba diving. These days, he is more likely to be found enjoying a walk in the park.
