Dr. Esra Neufeld Elected to IT’IS USA Board

Dr. Esra Neufeld has been elected to the Board of Directors, effective February 2, 2026. Esra brings extensive experience in the field of computational life and health sciences, having led the Computational Life and Health Sciences (CLaHS) group at IT’IS since 2008, as well as having served as an Associate Director of the IT’IS Foundation since 2018. Since 2009, Esra has been the Chief Science Officer at ZMT Zurich MedTech AG, responsible for development of medical treatment planning software and medical image processing tools, and in 2019, he co-founded TI Solutions AG to develop high-quality and flexible neuro-stimulation devices and treatment planning tools for temporal interference research. Esra has been the driving force behind the stunning success of the National Institutes of Health Common Fund project o²S²PARC: Open platform for online simulations for stimulating peripheral activity to relieve conditions.

Esra joins a dedicated board working to advance the missions of IT’IS USA and IT’IS, including to foster innovative research in neuroscience by pursuing advanced research in simulation methodologies and applications of physical, physiological, and biological processes in the field of precision medicine, and to promote academic collaboration by providing a proactive creative innovative research environment for the cultivation of sound science and good education.

MRI Filter Solutions for Temporal Interference Stimulation

The IT’IS TI team has successfully installed their 3.0 T and 7.0 T Filter Solutions in two leading research laboratories, enabling functional magnetic resonance imaging to be performed concurrently during temporal interference stimulation with the TIBS-R device.

The ability to perform functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) concurrently during temporal interference stimulation (TIS) is essential to further advance the understanding of and to evaluate the potential of TIS. However, introducing devices into the MRI environment is generally unsafe unless they are specifically designed to meet MRI safety requirements.

The specialized MRI Filter Solutions developed by the IT’IS team for the TIBS-R device of its Z43 partner, TI Solutions AG, enable compatibility with 2.9, 3.0, and 7.0 T scanners. Beyond MRI compatibility, TI Solutions – jointly with IT’IS and the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA) – also developed novel stimulation leads that feature optimized distributed resistance for maximum safety and artifact-free recording during fMRI.

Operation of the system, which supports up to four TI channels (eight electrodes), has been validated under normal operating conditions, including sequences with high specific absorption rate (SAR) and high gradient demands. More information is available on the TI Solutions website.

These solutions have already been successfully deployed in two leading research laboratories, and additional installations are underway.

For information about the TIBS-R device and the MRI Filter Solutions, please contact eap@temporalinterference.com.

Computational Modeling Reveals Biological Mechanisms Underlying the Whisker-Flick EEG (iScience)

Joseph Tharayil, James B. Isbister, Esra Neufeld, and Michael Reimann, iScience 2025, Volume 28, Issue 11, Article no. 113793, online 06 November 2025; doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.113793

Whisker flick stimulation is a commonly used protocol to investigate somatosensory processing in rodents. Neural activity evoked by whisker flicks produces a characteristic electroencephalogram (EEG) waveform known as a somatosensory evoked potential (SEP). In this paper, computational modeling is used to make predictions about the neural populations that contribute to this signal, either through their own membrane currents, or the membrane currents they elicit in downstream populations. While the model cannot fully explain the mechanisms of SEP generation, it is predicted that the initial positive deflection of the EEG waveform is driven largely by direct thalamic inputs to Layer 2/3 and Layer 5 pyramidal cells, while the negative deflection is driven by a more complex mix of sources, including thalamic and recurrent cortical connectivity. Small changes to the local connectivity of the circuit can have an important impact on the recorded EEG, without substantially affecting firing rates, suggesting that EEG may be useful in constraining in silico neural models.

The finite element method was used to create a model of the rat head, with a recording electrode positioned directly over the forelimb region and a reference electrode positioned over the hindlimb region of the somatosensory cortex. The Sim4Life platform (ZMT Zurich Med Tech, Zurich, CH) was used to simulate a current applied between the electrodes and calculated the resulting electric potential generated in the rat head.

The scientific and technical impact of the study can be summarized as:

• The reciprocity-theorem-based approach previously developed by IT’IS was applied, whereby recordable signals from complex neural activity in heterogeneous anatomical environments are simulated, to study whisker-flick-evoked EEG in a rat model

• It is shown that the rat somatosensory cortex model of the Blue Brain Project replicates many features of the in vivo whisker-flick-evoked EEG

• Leveraging the ability of simulations to isolate signal contributions, the team attributed different components of the whisker-flick-evoked EEG to distinct neural populations and activity types

• Results reveal that small changes to circuit connectivity can have a large impact on the EEG, even when firing rates remain unaffected, which suggests that EEG data can be used to constrain and validate in silico models

• Understanding the origins and formation of EEG signals could inform the design of recording configurations that maximize the signal information content, e.g., for brain-machine-interfaces

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Successful IEC TC 106 and IEEE ICES TC34 meetings in Busan, South Korea

The IEC TC106 and IEE ICES TC34 joint standards meetings were held in Busan, South Korea last week, generously hosted by the National Radio Research Agency (RRA) and well organized by the Telecommunications Technology Association (TTA). The relaxed beach atmosphere in Busan provided a good environment to make significant progress on key topics for human exposure assessment standards.

Two research contributions of IT’IS and IT’IS USA have been presented and discussed, both improving the efficiency of system validation of the Committee Draft of IEC/IEEE PAS 62209-5, one by adding statistical sampling techniques, and one by performing pattern validation. The publicly available specification (PAS) is on track for publication in late 2026, after which it will be adopted into IEC/IEEE 62209-3 and IEC/IEEE 62209-1528 standards for specific absorption rate (SAR) measurement.

The skin model based on measurements of 44 volunteers published by IT’IS (Christ et al., bioRxiv 2025.05.26.652827; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.05.26.652827 has been adopted as the reference skin model for measurement and simulations of absorbed power density (APD) in IEC/IEEE 63195-3/4. These standards are scheduled for publication in late 2027. Meanwhile, a Technical Report (TR) for APD assessment IEC/IEEE TR 63572 has concluded final voting.

IEC/IEEE 62209-1528 Amendment 1 was recently submitted to IEEE for voting, and the parallel IEC voting process is in preparation, with publication expected in May 2026. This amendment includes important updates for SAR evaluation of devices using dynamic power control, proximity sensors, and motion sensors for exposure mitigation, as well as procedures for measurement of SAR in the hand. Niels Kuster presented a new and fast method to combine spatial sSAR1g/10g distributions from simultaneous transmitters that complies with existing procedures. These sSAR1g/10g distributions will become available before end of the year in DASY8 Module SAR and APD as well as cSAR3D.

The week also included progress and updates on IEC/IEEE 62704 series of numerical standards for SAR evaluation, IEC/IEEE 63480 for radiative wireless power transfer (WPT) systems, IEC/IEEE 63184 for inductive WPT systems, and IEC/IEEE 62209-3 for SAR measurement by vector measurement-based systems.

Mark Douglas of IT’IS received the 1906 Award by the IEC in recognition of exceptional achievements in advancing IEC standards.

Latest Updates from the TCB Council Workshop of October 21 – 23

IT’IS USA presents latest research in millimeter and sub-THz exposure systems.

The TCB Council workshop, a semi-annual event, was held in Baltimore, Maryland from October 21 – 23, 2025.   This workshop, which was preceded by a one-day radiofrequency (RF) exposure training session on October 20, was unusual in that the typical full day of presentations by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had to be re-organized due to the U.S. government shutdown: representatives from the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) and the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) were unable to attend. However, Adam Chan, the Director of the FCC Council on National Security, attended and presented an update on the FCC’s enforcement of its “Bad Labs” rules, including withdrawal of recognition of testing labs that are owned or controlled by a nation considered a foreign adversary of the USA. Chan also summarized the FCC’s enforcement of the U.S. Secure Equipment Act, which prohibits authorization of equipment and services that are identified as a threat to US national security.

Prof. Quirino Balzano, IT’IS USA, presented the latest research on exposure evaluation at millimeter-wave and sub-hertz (sub-THz) frequencies. He presented the state-of-the-art in methods for measerment of absorbed power density (APD), including skin models, the dosimetric probe, field reconstruction, and validation sources. The results of a prototype system for an optical modulator being developed for measurements at sub-THz frequencies were presented.   Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada presented their latest regulatory updates, including the 2nd editions of the guidelines for specific absorption rate (SAR) measurement (RSS-102.SAR.MEAS) and incident power density (IPD) measurement (RSS-102.IPD.MEAS).   Numerical evaluation is accepted on a limited basis by the FCC and ISED. Kaitlin O’Keefe of RF Safety Labs presented an overview of the standards, regulatory guidelines, and requirements for the use of numerical simulations to evaluate RF exposure.

SEAWave Risk Assessment Meeting in Lyon

From October 13 – 16, 2025, SEAWave partners, including IT’IS and external advisor Ronald L. Melnick, gathered in Lyon for the Work Package 9 Risk Assessment Workshop hosted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The objective was to evaluate the potential risk of skin cancer associated with 5G new radio frequency range 1 (NR FR1) and FR2 exposures. To achieve this, participants combined published data with the results of the specific experiments conducted within the SEAWave project since 2022, in which human volunteers, rodents, and cell cultures were exposed to maximized FR2 signals at 27.5 GHz.

At the productive meeting, all inputs were carefully reviewed and discussed to assess whether the current evidence is strong, limited, or insufficient to establish any association between exposure to 5G NR FR1 or FR2 and the development of skin cancer. SEAWave’s External Advisory Board, made up of Dr. Clemens Dasenbrock – formerly of the Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine in Hannover, Germany – and Ron Melnick, who served as a toxicologist at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP) in Durham NC, USA – provided expert guidance to ensure that the project was executed according to plan and within EU guidelines. The final conclusions and detailed discussions will be published soon.

SEAWave, is co-funded by the HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (Belgium) and the State Secretariat for Education, Research, and Innovation (SERI, Switzerland). A big thank you to our colleagues at IARC and all SEAWave partners for their inspiring discussions and collaborative work during the workshop!

o²S²PARC Receives Year 8 No-Cost Extension Under NIH SPARC Program

The NIH SPARC program has approved a no-cost extension for the IT’IS SIM-Core team, ensuring continued activities through an extended final year of the program.

IT’IS has been granted a no-cost extension under the NIH SPARC program, specifically for their o²S²PARC platform.

Since 2017, o²S²PARC (Open Online Simulation Platform for Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions) has grown into a powerful, cloud-based environment for collaborative model development, coupling, execution, visualization, and analysis – enabling predictive, multiscale, multiphysics simulations from peripheral nerve stimulation to organ-level response. The no-cost extension for Year 8 will officially conclude at the end of April 2026 and primarily enable the IT’IS team to ensure that the forthcoming vagus nerve data from SPARC Phase 2 REVA projects can be leveraged from within o²S²PARC and is fully compatible with established o²S²PARC pipelines, such as those for neural interface safety and effectivity assessment.

Sustaining o²S²PARC’s longevity beyond the scheduled end of the program also remains a key focus of SIM-Core. In addition, working in close partnership with its partners from the SPARC Data and Resource Center, IT’IS remains committed to strengthening the SPARC Portal as a cornerstone resource for the neuromodulation research community.

The continued support from the NIH Common Fund for the o²S²PARC platform will be highly beneficial to IT’IS USA and its U.S. partners.

FDA Approval of Breakthrough Neuroimmune Modulation System for Rheumatoid Arthritis

SetPoint Medical has recently obtained FDA approval for an implanted, rechargeable neurostimulator and its accompanying neck-worn wireless charger. The IT’IS Customized Research Team supported this effort ensuring dosimetric compliance. The system delivers electrical pulses to help reduce inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The SetPoint System is a small leadless neurostimulator implanted at the vagus nerve, which applies electrical stimulation for one minute each day. The stimulation can reduce crippling inflammation and “reset” the immune system. A neck-worn wireless Charger delivers power to the Implant for a few minutes a week. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted the system “Breakthrough Device Designation”, and commercial approval was recently granted following a successful clinical study.

To support the dosimetric compliance of the SetPoint System wireless charger, the IT’IS team

• generated a numerical model of the charger and validated it with magnetic field measurements with SPEAG’s DASY Module WPT;

• determined the specific absorption rate (SAR) values (peak spatial-average SAR and whole-body SAR) in ten Virtual Population anatomical models by simulations with the validated charger model with Sim4Life;

• evaluated the compliance of the charger by comparing the SAR results against FCC regulations and ICNIRP guidelines; To support the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compatibility of the SetPoint System Implant with Pod, the IT’IS Laboratory (Switzerland)

• performed tests following ISO/IEC 10974, utilizing ZMT’s benchtop exposure systems MITS, MITS-HFR, and MITS-Gradient, as well as custom-designed injection tests;

• related the measured test responses to conservative in vivo levels with the FDA-qualified Medical Device Development Tool, IMAnalytics with MRIxViP and BCLib, to estimate the electric fields incident to the Implant for all MR exposure scenarios (MR system settings, anatomical phantoms, body coils and imaging landmarks);

• and performed MR scanner tests with partner GyroTools LLC, including image artifact assessment per ASTM F2119.

The SetPoint System is an example of the application of neurostimulation to modulate inflammation, which plays a key role in autoimmune diseases. SetPoint is also planning to evaluate its platform for treatment of additional autoimmune indications, including multiple sclerosis and Crohn’s disease.

SPARC Seminar Series - In Silico Safety Assessment of Neural Interfaces

IT’IS advises and supports industry and regulators in developing safer and more effective medical devices, with a particular focus on neurostimulation and bioelectronics medicine.

In silico evidence on safety and effectivity is becoming increasingly accepted – and even requested – in medical device regulatory submission. However, it must be supported by thorough verification, validation, and uncertainty quantification to establish confidence in the results.

In the upcoming webinar on July 30, 2025, at 5 pm CET, Esra Neufeld, Antonino Cassarà, and Javier García Ordóñez will present and discuss a recently established in silico assessment pipeline and its application to a generic vagus nerve stimulation interface. The pipeline was realized using the o²S²PARC platform – the powerful, open-source, cloud-based platform for collaborative and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) modeling developed as part of the NIH SPARC program – and the application example leverages histological data from SPARC researchers.

Key topics of the seminar will include:

• Histology-based modeling of neural interfaces: electromagnetic dosimetry, induced heating, neural responses, and damage predictors

• Systematic variability and modeling uncertainty quantification

• Multi-goal device design optimization that considers safety, effectivity, and power efficiency

• Using surrogate-based metamodeling to efficiently explore high-dimensional parameter spaces

• o²S²PARC functionalities that support all of the above

If you are curious about in silico methodologies, neural interface simulations, or regulatory-grade modeling, this is for you!

Register here.

IEC TC 106 and IEEE ICES TC34 Meetings in Mexico City

The IEC TC106 and IEEE ICES TC34 joint standards meetings were held in Mexico City last week, generously hosted by the Mexican National Committee of IEC TC106. The warm weather and vibrant location at National Polytechnic Institute provided a conducive environment to present solutions and develop consensus on the next electromagnetic exposure assessment standards.

Amendment 1 of IEC/IEEE 62209-1528 is on track for submission in August as a Final Draft International Standard (FDIS). Joint Working Group (JWG) 14 reviewed all comments from the last round of voting. This amendment includes useful updates for specific absorption rate (SAR) evaluation of devices using dynamic power control, proximity sensors, and motion sensors for exposure mitigation.

The IEC/IEEE 62209-5 meeting included several interesting presentations and a plan to complete the draft this summer. This will provide a common validation for all SAR measurement systems, which will be referenced by both IEC/IEEE 62209-1528 and IEC 62209-3. The presentations included new concepts for validating SAR patterns which potentially could reduce the number of configurations to test.

The revision of IEC 62209-3 for vector measurement-based systems made good progress and is on track to be completed this summer. All comments have been reviewed, and final action items have been assigned.

Dr. Andreas Christ presented the skin model derived from a volunteer study (Christ et al., bioRxiv 2025.05.26.652827; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.05.26.652827). It was decided to use this model as the basis for the absorbed power density (APD) standard from 6 – 110 GHz. IEC/IEEE 63195-3 and -4 (for APD measurements and simulations, respectively) are expected to ready this September as Committee Drafts. In the meantime, a Technical Report on APD is in the final voting stage and is expected to be ready for publication at the end of this month.

The week concluded with progress on IEC/IEEE 62704 series of numerical standards for SAR evaluation, and significant improvements to the draft IEC/IEEE 63480 for radiative wireless power transfer systems.

SPARC Seminar Series - In Silico Safety Assessment of Neural Interfaces

Are you ready for a challenge? Submit your project ideas for the interactive 3-day SPARC FAIR Codeathon 2025 happening August 2 – 4, with US$20,000 in total prizes!

SPARC, funded by the National Institutes of Health, is a large research program dedicated to advancing the understanding, technologies, and therapeutic approaches in the realm of the autonomic nervous system and its impact on organ physiology. IT’IS, together with its SPARC Data and Resource Center (DRC) partners, is looking for creative project ideas for the interactive 3-day SPARC FAIR Codeathon 2025 happening August 2 – 4, with US$20,000 in total prizes!

The DRC is developing key technology to enable not only open sharing of FAIRly produced data, but also surfacing relationships and connections that bridge organs, experimental approaches and other relevant information to bring focus to the peripheral and autonomic nervous system. In this Codeathon, the DRC is looking for exciting projects which use SPARC data and/or SPARC tools and resources in novel ways, particularly in helping to visualize, enhance, demonstrate, or measure the findability, accessibility, interoperability, or reusability (FAIRness) of the data.

Since 2017, IT’IS develops and maintains o²S²PARC – an interactive, online simulation platform that allows collaborative development and sharing, model coupling and cloud-based execution of computational models, simulations, data visualization and analysis, and the presentation of results.

The IT’IS o²S²PARC platform has proven pivotal to the SPARC FAIR Codeathon in the past, providing participants with a robust, cloud-based environment for developing, executing, and sharing computational models and simulations, and will again play a key role in the forthcoming Codeathon. Designed to uphold the FAIR principles, o²S²PARC enables researchers to build reproducible workflows without the need for local installations or advanced programming skills. Its user-friendly interface supports a wide range of applications, from gene expression data visualization to complex physiological modeling, facilitating collaborative innovation and accelerating the development of novel biomedical solutions. By integrating o²S²PARC into the Codeathon, participants can effectively leverage SPARC resources to create impactful, shareable tools that advance the field of bioelectronic medicine.

Submit your ideas for Codeathon projects today!

More information is available on the SPARC Portal, including examples of previous Codeathon projects.

Special Issue on Neurostimulation

A Featured Collection of Publications in Bioelectromagnetics Special Issue on Neurostimulation.

The journal Bioelectromagnetics launched its first Special Issue, with this inaugural edition focused on the dynamic and rapidly advancing field of neurostimulation. The guest editors are Alvaro Pascual-Leone (Harvard, USA) and Esra Neufeld (IT’IS, Switzerland). The featured contributions are two notable publications from IT’IS. The majority of the publications are available via open access.

This Special Issue includes the following topics:

• A Comparative Study of Simulated Electric Fields of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Targeting Different Cortical Motor Regions

• Characterization of Machine Learning-Based Surrogate Models of Neural Activation Under Electrical Stimulation

• Exploiting Polynomial Chaos Expansion for Rapid Assessment of the Impact of Tissue Property Uncertainties in Low-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Stimulation

• Nonlinearities and Timescales in Neural Models of Temporal Interference Stimulation

• Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields Attenuate Human Musculocutaneous Nerve Damage Induced by Biceps Eccentric Contractions

• Recommendations for the Safe Application of Temporal Interference Stimulation in the Human Brain Part I: Principles of Electrical Neuromodulation and Adverse Effects

• Recommendations for the Safe Application of Temporal Interference Stimulation in the Human Brain Part II: Biophysics, Dosimetry, and Safety Recommendations

• Stimulus Effects of Extremely Low-Frequency Electric Field Exposure on Calcium Oscillations in a Human Cortical Spheroid

• Toward Safety Protocols for Peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS): A Computational and Experimental Approach

The guest editors were Prof. Alvaro Pascual-Leone from Harvard Medical School, a prominent opinion leader in neuromodulation, and Dr. Esra Neufeld of IT’IS, a leading expert in computational neuromodeling.

The Special Issue can be accessed here.

IEC TC 106 and IEEE ICES TC34 Meetings Hosted by IT’IS

IT’IS is proud to have hosted the IEC TC106 and IEEE ICES TC34 joint standards meetings this week in Zurich and on top of Mount Pilatus. The mountain views offered fresh perspectives to develop new solutions to progress the electromagnetic exposure assessment standards.

The week started with the revision of the IEC 62209-3 standard for specific absorption rate (SAR) measurement using vector measurement-based systems. A draft revision has been prepared in response to the latest CDV comments from IEC and IEEE, and a timeline was set to finish the work by the summer. The group also started work on the restructuring of the SAR measurements, incorporating IEC/IEEE 62209-3 and IEC/IEEE 62209-1528 into one standard.

On Tuesday, everyone headed to Mount Pilatus for IEC/IEEE 62209-5 meetings at the beautiful Pilatus Kulm hotel, where the dragon legend inspired us to stay focused! Important progress and a good idea exchanges were evident on a common validation approach for any SAR measurement system. The group is chaired by Kaitlin O’Keefe (USA) and Andrea Schiavoni (IT) with major contributions by key regulators such as FCC (USA), ISED (CA), RRA (SK), NICT (J) and CTTL (CN). The drafting work is expected to finish in June. After the meetings participants took the cable car down to Lucerne to witness the preparations for the local Fasnacht celebrations and enjoyed dinner together.

Wednesday’s and Thursday’s meetings included work on drafting IEC/IEEE 63195-3 and IEC/IEEE 63195-4 for evaluation of absorbed power density in the body in the 6 – 300 GHz frequency range, using measurements and numerical simulations, respectively. These are very important standards for regulators, test labs and manufacturers of millimeter-wave devices (5G FR2, WiGig, etc.).

Wednesday evening’s program was a tour and demo of several of our current research and development activities at Z43, followed by an apero.

The week concluded with progress on IEC/IEEE 62704 series of numerical standards for SAR evaluation, and significant improvements to the draft IEC/IEEE 63480 for radiative wireless power transfer systems.

IT’IS Annual Report 2024

We are excited to publish the 2024 IT’IS Annual Report! This year’s edition highlights include:

• A look into research advancements to ensure the safety of next-generation non-invasive brain stimulation, as well as information on:

• Ongoing projects

• Key figures on funding and infrastructure

• Selected publications

• The team, including the board members

• Selected partners and sponsors

Research Activities

IT’IS USA is at the forefront of research into the interactions between electromagnetic fields (EMF) and biological systems.

Focus Areas

Computational Bioelectromagnetics

• Advanced modeling of the interactions of EMF with tissues
• Multi-scale simulations from molecular to organ level
• Development of anatomically accurate computational models

Medical Applications

• Therapeutic applications of EMF
• Temporal interference stimulation (TIS)
• Safety assessment of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocols
• Safety assessment of medical devices, especially in the context of MRI scanning
• Hyperthermia
• Treatment planning optimization

Dosimetry and Exposure Assessment

• Personal exposure monitoring
• Environmental field mapping
• Compliance testing methodologies

Safety Standards Development

• Scientific basis for exposure guidelines
• Risk assessment methodologies
• Development of testing protocols for wireless devices

Collaborations

We work closely with:

• Our Swiss partners: IT’IS, Schmid and Partner Engineering AG, ZMT Zurich MedTech AG, and TI Solutions AG
• Leading research universities worldwide
• Medical institutions
• Industry partners
• Regulatory agencies worldwide

Funding

Our research is supported by government agencies, private foundations, and industry partnerships, ensuring independence and scientific rigor.

Standards Development Activities

IT’IS USA plays a vital role in developing science-based safety standards and guidelines for exposure to electromagnetic fields.

Active Participation

International Organizations

• IEEE International Committee on Electromagnetic Safety (ICES)
• International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP)
• International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
• Federal Communications Commission (FCC) advisory groups

Our Contributions to Electromagnetic Safety

• Human exposure limits for radiofrequency fields
• Medical device safety standards
• Testing and measurement protocols
• Compliance assessment procedures

Approach

Our standards contributions are:

• Based on rigorous scientific evidence
• Transparent and inclusive
• Regularly updated on the basis of the latest research
• Formulated to protect the health workers and of the public

Impact

The standards that we help develop are:

• Adopted by regulatory agencies worldwide
• Used by manufacturers for product design
• Referenced in legal and policy frameworks
• Applied to protect workers and the public

Resources

We provide:

• Technical guidance documents
• Educational materials
• Compliance testing tools
• Expert consultation services

Educational Programs

IT’IS USA is an independent, non-profit, tax-exempt research institute committed to education and training in bioelectromagnetics, computational life and health sciences, dosimetry, and related fields. As part of its education mission, IT’IS conducts research in simulation methodologies and applications of physical, physiological, and biological processes to advance the realization of precision medicine, participating in in silico studies that include clinical trials and regulatory grade modeling, with focus on validation and verification methods. IT’IS USA and its Swiss sister organization are committed to providing a proactive, creative, and innovative research environment for the cultivation of sound science and good education.

Programs Offered

Online Resources

• Video tutorials and lectures
• Technical guides and white papers

Academic Partnerships

• Collaborative research programs with universities
• Guest lectures and seminars
• Student internship opportunities
• Co-supervision of doctoral research projects

Target Audiences

• Graduate students and postdocs
• Industry professionals
• Regulatory personnel
• Medical device engineers
• Safety officers

Our Mission Statement

• IT’IS USA is dedicated to expanding the scientific basis of the safe and beneficial application of electromagnetic (EM) energy in health and information technologies.
• IT’IS USA is committed to improving and advancing the quality of life of people with disabilities through innovative research and application of emerging technologies.
• IT’IS USA is an independent non-profit research institute.
• IT’IS USA endeavors to provide a proactive, creative and innovative research environment for the cultivation of sound science, research, and education.

Strategies

IT’IS USA will achieve its mission and strategic goals by stimulating innovation, productivity, and pre-eminence in the following areas:

• Assessment of the risks and safety aspects of wireless information technologies: IT’IS USA constantly and efficiently develops and refines experimental and analytical tools to optimize the safe application of wireless information technologies in society.
• Research on and development of instruments and devices for evaluating and monitoring the safe use of EM energy in products for industrial and personal use.
• Research and development of instruments and devices for medical diagnostics and treatments that are based on the use of, but are not restricted to the use of, EM energy.
• Research on and development of systems to support health and quality of life.
• Research on and development of concepts and instruments for minimizing interference in EM hostile environments.
• Research on the biophysical interactions of cells and organisms.
• Maintenance and expansion of an outstanding research group for the study of EM propagation, EM compatibility and interference, as well as for the design of antennas and microwave devices.
• Establishment of alliances and collaborative networks with academic and industrial organizations having mutual interests.
• Expansion as the most prominent and recognized center of excellence for the safe application of wireless technologies.

Implementation Plan

• Acquire consistent and primary funding from donors, sponsors, government agencies, and other foundations; funds for projects with non-disclosure agreement (NDA) restrictions may be accepted where there is a potential for new research areas with no NDA restrictions or to support other projects.
• Consistently acquire a majority of scientifically interesting exposure and dosimetry assessment projects to maintain leadership in these vital technologies.
• Actively participate in international organizations that develop standards for radiofrequency (RF) safety so as to provide the expertise of IT’IS as a center of excellence and knowledge nationally and internationally for the safe use of RF and microwave energy.
• Disseminate knowledge to experts, media, and the general public through publications and participation in and organization of conferences, seminars, and workshops.
• Maintain an innovative and creative research environment, teaming experts in various disciplines, and providing a high-end infrastructure embedded in a large international network.
• Actively pursue partnerships for the application of wireless communication technology and RF energy to medical, diagnostic, health, and quality-of-life devices.
• Offer optimal design services and reliable safety usage assessment to device manufacturers.
• Develop a capital reserve and intellectual property rights portfolio to maintain long-term funding.

IT’IS USA, founded 2010

Our History

The Foundation for Research on Information Technologies in Society USA, Inc. (IT’IS USA), is a sister organization of the Foundation for Research on Information Technologies in Society (IT’IS) in Zurich, Switzerland. It is a financially and legally independent tax-exempt institution based in Maryland, USA.

IT’IS USA was established on May 21, 2010, and held its founding board meeting on October 11, 2010, on the campus of the University of Maryland, College Park MD, USA.

Foundation Origins

IT’IS was established in 1999 in Zurich, Switzerland, with the mission to assess the impact of exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) on health and to develop therapeutic applications of EMF.

Expansion to the USA

IT’IS USA was established to:

• Foster collaboration with US research institutions
• Engage with U.S. regulatory agencies
• Support innovation in American industry
• Address region-specific research needs
• Facilitate the formulation of safety standards in the USA

Key Milestones

2000s: Pioneering Research

• Development of anatomical modeling techniques
• Launch of the Virtual Population models
• Establishment of the Tissue Properties Database

2010s: International Leadership

• IT’IS USA established
• Major contributions to international safety standards
• Breakthroughs on assessments of medical device safety
• Advanced in silico clinical trial methods

2020s: Innovation and Growth

• Leadership on methods for assessment of 5G exposure
• Machine learning integration
• Expansion of medical applications

Global Impact

IT’IS research has influenced:

• International exposure guidelines
• Medical device regulations
• Telecommunications standards
• Clinical practice worldwide

Looking Forward

IT’IS USA continues to push the boundaries of bioelectromagnetics research by addressing emerging challenges and opportunities in our increasingly connected world.

The Board

Quirino Balzano

Prof. Quirino Balzano, a founding member of IT’IS USA, is a distinguished engineer and researcher with a career spanning over 5 decades in electromagnetic technology. After early roles at FIAT and Raytheon, he spent 27 years at Motorola, serving as Corporate Vice President and Director of Florida Research Laboratories until 2001. In 2002, he joined the University of Maryland, where he taught graduate courses on antennas and radiofrequency (RF) propagation. An independent consultant since 2022, Prof. Balzano focuses on antenna design and 5G RF safety, exploring the biological effects of RF exposure and the secure implementation of wireless technologies. An IEEE Life Fellow and former Chair of URSI Commission A, he holds 35 patents and has authored over 100 publications, including more than 50 papers on RF dosimetry.

Niels Kuster

Prof. Niels Kuster is a founding member of IT’IS USA and well as the founder and Director of the Foundation for Research on Information Technologies in Society (IT’IS) in Zurich, Switzerland and Associate Professor of the Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering at the Swiss Federal Technical Institute (ETH) Zurich. His research covers many aspects of electromagnetics and computational life sciences. Prof. Kuster has been involved in the founding of several start-up companies, including IT’IS partners Schmid and Partner Engineering AG, ZMT Zurich MedTech AG, and TI Solutions AG. He has received multiple awards, published over 300 publications, is a long-time member of several standardization bodies, and serves as a consultant on exposure safety assessment for governmental agencies around the globe.

Esra Neufeld

Dr. Esra Neufeld is Associate Director of the Foundation for Research on Information Technologies in Society (IT’IS) in Zurich, Switzerland, and Head of the Computational Life and Health Sciences (CLaHS) group at IT’IS. He leads several research teams on advanced multiphysics simulation in medicine, treatment-planning software, medical image analysis and anatomical model generation, applied simulations, particularly in the field of bio-electromagnetics and electromagnetic-tissue interactions – including heating, neurostimulation, and cell proliferation, etc. – as well as in silico clinical trials and standardization.

Gal Shafirstein

Dr. Gal Shafirstein is the head of translational and clinical research on photodynamic therapy (PDT) at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. The focus of his research is on light dosimetry for interstitial and intraoperative PDT and treatment planning to improve outcomes for patients with advanced head and neck or lung cancers who have not responded to standard therapies. He is a principal investigator/project leader on several grants funded by the National Institutes of Health. He is the co-inventor on 8 patents and has co-authored 79 peer reviewed scientific papers. Dr. Shafirstein is a frequent invited speaker whose honors include the Lyon New Scientist Development Award, several Technion awards for excellence, and the national Landau Prize for distinction in research.

Former Directors of the Board

Boris C. Pasche, M.D., Ph.D., Wayne State University, USA (2010 - 2025)