Team Bio

We are a collaborative team of mental health (Weill Cornell Medical College/New York Presbyterian Hospital), Telemedicine (Burke Medical Research Institute/Weill Cornell Medical College) and mobile software experts (Interlecta) who have come together with a goal to radically improve technology surrounding the field of suicide prevention. Every single member of our team is dedicated to the goal of improving access to a high standard of mental health care that everyone deserves.

David Putrino

I am a physical therapist with a PhD in Neuroscience. I have worked clinically in both private practice and hospital environments before moving to the United States to study computational neuroscience at Harvard Medical School and MIT. I also completed a post-doctoral fellowship at New York University, designing prostheses for Brain Machine Interface devices. I am currently an Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College, and the Director of Telemedicine and Virtual Rehabilitation at Burke Medical Research Institute. In this position, I work to develop low-cost and accessible healthcare solutions for individuals in need of better healthcare accessibility. I also consult for Red Bull High Performance, using state-of-the-art technology to monitor and enhance athlete performance. We try to promote the message that the methods and technology we use for high-performance athletes should be translated to individuals in need of rehabilitation. I am also the “Chief Mad Scientist” of Not Impossible Labs, a group that crowd-sources accessible technological solutions for high-impact humanitarian problems. All of my projects are centered around finding pragmatic and effective ways to deliver the standard of care that people need and deserve to recover from illness and injury. I am passionate about MindMe's ability to change the way that we approach suicide prevention and care for people with depression.

David Harary

I am passionate about using science to address public health concerns. Since joining Putrino Lab, I have become invested in addressing our society's unmet mental health needs. I am proud to not only be part of a research project where we can run a clinical study trying to help individuals at risk for suicide, but to share our scientific journey with a community who cares about this issue too—that's the beauty of crowdfunding science. Before working in David's lab, I graduated with a music degree from SUNY Stony Brook, a minor in chemistry and researched Parkinson's Disease in Dr. Mary Kritzer's lab.

Frank Fleming

I am the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Interlecta Mobile Innovations and SafetyCard360. I have 30 years of IT business development experience, the last 10 of which have been focused on the mobile industry. Prior to founding Interlecta I held positions at Global Crossing, IxNet, Network Associates, Rand McNally and ATT where I started my career. I hold a BA from McGill University, Montreal, PQ, Canada

Neven Boyanov

I am a co-founder of Interlecta and the TelePsych Alliance and currently serve as director of product and software development. We have developed the beta version of MindMe for pilot studies under the leadership of the Putrino Lab and Dr Dimitris Kiosses. I am responsible for driving technology innovation so that our products are reliable in high stake clinical environments.

I have 17 years of experience as a computer engineer and I hold masters degrees in mathematics and computer science from St. St. Cyril and Methodius University of Veliko Turnovo, where I am now a frequent guest lecturer on topics such as mobile and communication technologies and machine translation.

I am currently working on my doctoral dissertations in the field of computer security, embedded devices and the Internet of Things.

Lucas Martins

I graduated from SUNY Stony Brook with a BS in Biology and a specialization in Neuroscience. I have completed clinical research projects for Post-Stroke Apathy and Parkinson's Disease, but accessible mental health care is a cause that gives me direction and purpose. Through personal experience I have come to know the shortcomings and disparity among medical treatment in our society. Being raised by a single mother in low socioeconomic areas, as well as witnessing the burden of addiction, epilepsy, and depression on my family, has vastly affected my life. I remember numerous times when my mother and I forwent medical treatment due to expenses or when medical treatment was not conducive to effective treatment. The lack of a basic human right such as accessible healthcare, especially in the mental health field, is unacceptable and I am proud to have the opportunity to make a change.

Dimitris Kiosses

I am an Associate Professor of Psychology from the Department of Clinical Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College. I have been a practicing clinical psychologist at the Weill Cornell Medicine and Weill Cornell Institute for Geriatric Psychiatry since 1997. My research interests focus on the development of psychosocial interventions for middle-aged and older adults with depression as well as for those with treatment resistant depression and those who are at risk for suicide. I have developed a novel therapy for emotion regulation called Problem Adaptation Therapy (PATH) and have published on PATH's efficacy to reduce depression and improve disability in major, peer-reviewed psychiatric and geriatric journals. In a recent study, we observed that PATH reduced suicidal ideation in older adults with depression and cognitive impairment. MindMe utilizes the principles of PATH to provide at-risk individuals with personalized strategies to deal with negative emotions as they occur on a daily basis outside of therapy. The integration of mobile health techniques with the field of psychology to help reduce suicidal ideation are very exciting. We hope that this project will have the potential to positively impact the lives of a growing number of people who currently live with depression and suicidal ideation.

Anna Smeragliuolo

I am an animator and graphic designer with a B.S. in Neuroscience from the University of California, Los Angeles. I have combined these seemingly disparate interests in endeavors ranging from 3D molecular visualization to EEG performance art. My research focus centers on incorporating thoughtful design and improved visual literacy into the practice of science in order to broaden the dissemination of scientific understanding. MindMe is a project that became incredibly close to my heart after my father's death by suicide this past Christmas. Accordingly, I am extremely passionate about mental health awareness and suicide prevention. My father spent his career as a social worker, teaching and treating adolescents with behavioral disorders. Please help me carry on his legacy of good work by donating to our cause.