Dr. Pieter Roelfsema is a Dutch neuroscientist and medical doctor renowned for his pioneering work in visual perception, neuroplasticity, and brain-machine interfaces. He earned his MD in 1991 and PhD in 1995, and currently serves as the Director of the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience in Amsterdam, a position he’s held since 2007.

Roelfsema is also a professor at both the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and the Amsterdam University Medical Centers (AUMC). His research focuses on how networks of neurons collaborate to support perception, learning, and cognition. One of his most ambitious projects involves developing visual cortical prostheses—devices that aim to restore rudimentary vision to blind individuals by directly stimulating the brain’s visual cortex.

He’s received numerous accolades, including a NWO-VICI award and two ERC Advanced Grants, and is a co-founder of Phosphoenix, a neurotechnology company working on visual prosthetics. His work bridges cutting-edge neuroscience with real-world applications that could transform lives.