German Media: Harvard Luminary Charles Lieber Leads Shenzhen Lab, Brain-Computer Interface Draws Attention
Nanoscience pioneer Charles Lieber from Harvard University has now rebuilt his research base in Shenzhen. He is leveraging China’s unparalleled scientific resources—unavailable in the United States—to advance the cutting-edge field of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), which holds immense military and medical potential.
At 67 years old, Lieber is widely recognized as a global leader in nanotechnology and brain-computer interface (BCI) research.
He officially relocated to China in April 2025. According to a recent investigation by Reuters, Lieber currently leads China’s national key project—the Institute for Brain Science and Advanced Interface Technologies (i-BRAIN)—aiming to implant electronic components directly into the human brain.
The "Academic Oasis" in Shenzhen: Resources Outstrip Harvard
Lieber’s comeback in Shenzhen has been backed by top-tier Chinese financial support. According to information on the i-BRAIN website, the lab currently possesses two strategic advantages that Lieber could not access during his later years at Harvard: first, it is equipped with ASML-manufactured DUV lithography systems. In contrast, while at Harvard, Lieber had to share university nanosystems center equipment with over a thousand other users. Second, the facility includes research infrastructure capable of housing 2,000 primate cages. Due to legal constraints and funding pressures, Harvard shut down its primate research center back in 2015—yet such experiments are considered absolutely critical for advancing brain-computer interfaces toward preclinical human trials.
John Donoghue, a neuroscientist at Brown University and pioneer in brain-computer interfaces, emphasized that primate studies are “absolutely essential” for translating neural interface technologies into human applications. He noted that conducting non-human primate research in the U.S. faces numerous bureaucratic hurdles, making China’s model—a centralized, nationally funded initiative with comprehensive technical support—extremely attractive to top-tier scientists.
From Medical Miracle to "Super Soldier"
While brain-computer interface technology promises revolutionary advances in medicine, its military potential has raised concerns in Washington. The U.S. Department of Defense has pointed out that China’s People’s Liberation Army is already researching ways to enhance soldiers’ mental agility through this technology.
Currently, China’s latest five-year plan, released in March 2026, has designated brain-computer interfaces as a top national priority. Last October, the head of China’s National Development and Reform Commission stated that the rise of BCI technology “is equivalent to creating another high-tech industry in China within the next decade.” Lieber’s institute is part of the Shenzhen Medical Science Academy (SMART), led by renowned scientist Yan Ning—highlighting China’s unprecedented investment in attracting world-class overseas talent.
Source: DW
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1864006913813507/
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