NGBiLab S3.E3: EncephalX

Join host Jim Wilson for a conversation with Simon LaPointe, founder and CEO of EncephalX in Sherbrooke, Quebec.

EncephalX is a medical device company focused on helping people recovering from severe head injuries and strokes. Their main invention, the Dynamic Cranioplasty System, aims to turn two dangerous brain surgeries into one by creating a special implant that allows the brain to swell and heal safely without having to leave a piece of the skull out.

Simon shares how a college internship took him out of the classroom and directly into operating rooms, where seeing the reality of brain trauma changed his career path. He talks about the patience it took to study the problem for months before ever building a prototype, the challenge of starting a business during the pandemic, and how a "moving" skull piece can save patients from a second high-risk surgery.

This episode offers a clear look at how a young engineer is using simple mechanics to solve a massive healthcare problem and get patients home sooner.