Damiano Barone, MD, PhD, FRCS

About

Damiano Barone, MD, PhD, is a neurosurgeon-scientist whose work focuses on neurorestoration, bioelectronic medicine, biomaterials, and implantable neural interfaces for complex disorders of the nervous system.

Damiano Barone earned his MD from the University of Naples Federico II and completed neurosurgical training at Cambridge University Hospitals. During his residency, he pursued a PhD in Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Cambridge, where his research focused on the foreign-body response to neural implants and strategies to promote tissue repair. He subsequently completed a postdoctoral fellowship in electrical engineering, refining thin-film device fabrication and computational modeling approaches to improve the design and performance of neural interfaces. He later undertook specialized fellowships in functional and peripheral nerve neurosurgery at the Walton Centre and the Mayo Clinic, further integrating advanced neurotechnologies with patient-centered surgical care.

Damiano Barone’s research is driven by clinical challenges encountered in epilepsy surgery, functional neurosurgery, spinal cord disorders, and peripheral nerve repair. His laboratory develops next-generation implantable devices designed to interface safely and durably with neural tissue. The lab combines high-resolution imaging, microfabrication, lithography, tissue engineering, biomaterials, and in silico modeling to create ultra-thin, stable, and minimally invasive neural interfaces. His group has led research efforts to mitigate the foreign-body reaction around implanted electrodes, incorporate stem-cell-derived tissues into implantable scaffolds, and develop surgical strategies that reduce morbidity while improving long-term device performance.

Through collaborations with academic, clinical, and industry partners, Damiano Barone’s team has advanced multiple neural interface prototypes toward large-animal validation and future translational applications in chronic pain, spinal cord injury, peripheral nerve injury, and neurorestoration.

Clinically, Damiano Barone specializes in the surgical treatment of complex peripheral nerve and brachial plexus injuries, comprehensive epilepsy surgery, movement disorders, pain, spasticity, and the restoration of neurological function following brain, spine, and peripheral nerve injuries.

Publications

View Damiano Barone’s complete publication record on Google Scholar