Tucson, AZ, September 13, 2024 - The Science Enhanced Mindful Awareness (SEMA) Lab, co-directed by Dr. Jay Sanguinetti and world-renowned mindfulness teacher Shinzen Young, has officially launched a crowdfunding campaign to support their latest research endeavor: the world’s first ultrasound-enhanced meditation retreat. Overseen by Dr. John Allen, with postdoctoral research contributions from Dr. Brian Lord, the SEMA Lab’s research has already gained international attention and support. The crowdfunding campaign, which began on August 15 and will run until October 15, seeks to raise funds to further develop this innovative approach to mindfulness training. Interested supporters can contribute via this link.
SEMA Lab is pioneering a precision wellness approach, developing individualized meditation protocols that use ultrasound technology to target each person’s unique brain patterns. By customizing brain stimulation to each participant’s needs, this technique promises a more tailored and impactful meditation experience. “Every individual is unique. We believe that by tailoring the stimulation to each person’s neural signature, we can maximize the effectiveness of the protocol,” said Dr. Brian Lord. “Our goal is to lower the barriers to mindfulness training so more people can benefit from these practices,” added Dr. Jay Sanguinetti. “Through this campaign, we aim to apply our research in a real-world meditation retreat setting, testing our ideas outside of the lab for the first time.”
The crowdfunding campaign is part of SEMA Lab’s broader mission, which began in 2019, to use scientific advances to assist the practice of mindfulness and meditation. With growing scientific and public interest in meditation, the lab hopes this project will democratize access to advanced mindfulness training for people worldwide. “We are building science-informed and tech-accelerated systematic focus training in the service of multidimensional personal and communal wellbeing,” said Shinzen Young.
SEMA Lab recently published a proof-of-principle study in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, showing how transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) can alter default mode network connectivity in the brain and enhance mindfulness. The technique demonstrated the potential to deepen meditative states by targeting brain networks associated with mind-wandering and self-referential thinking. The lab’s groundbreaking work has been featured in Newsweek and Scientific American, highlighting their pioneering efforts in combining brain stimulation with meditation to deepen awareness and promote well-being.
SEMA Lab is at the forefront of researching how brain stimulation techniques, such as tFUS, can deepen meditative states and enhance mindfulness. The lab has been advancing the science of mindfulness and well-being since 2019 and works closely with long-term meditators, pairing meditation protocols with cutting-edge brain technologies.
Contact
SEMA Lab
Brian Lord
520-626-5400
semalab.arizona.edu
