Understanding Cognito Therapeutics’ mission to bring hope to people, families enduring dementia
03 October 2025

Understanding Cognito Therapeutics’ mission to bring hope to people, families enduring dementia

DeviceTalks Podcast Network

About

In this episode of DeviceTalks Weekly, Cognito Therapeutics’ Christian Howell conveys a deep sense of service that brought him to the MedTech industry. Host Tom Salemi talks with Howell about his Navy service, including a mission targeting pirates in the Persian Gulf on Sept. 11, 2001. From there, Howell gained a unique—and faraway—view of the tragic events that changed the world. He carried those lessons into roles at Covidien and Medtronic, where he helped drive Medtronic’s move into value-based healthcare.


Howell is now leaning into that same call of service at Cognito Therapeutics, an MIT-launched startup working to prove that lights and sounds can stimulate the brain to slow the onset of dementia. The technology could become a platform for new brain therapeutics.


You can learn more about Cognito’s technology at DeviceTalks West, where Chief Medical and Scientific Officer Ralph Kern will sit on a panel. Visit West.DeviceTalks.com for more information and to register.


This week’s FOMO interview spotlights ivWatch, a new device for monitoring intravenous lines.


MassDevice Editor Chris Newmarker delivers this week’s Newmarker’s Newsmakers, featuring CorWave, Medtronic, Olympus, Siemens Healthineers, and Zimmer Biomet.


Thank you for listening to DeviceTalks Weekly.


***


Enjoy the show? Follow DeviceTalks Weekly on all major podcast players + Follow us on YouTube.com/@DeviceTalks to ensure you never miss an episode.


Want access to the complete DeviceTalks Podcast Network (DTPN)? Follow us today at https://devicetalks.castos.com/subscribe