Ada Poon

Ada Poon is an Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering at Stanford University, specializing in biomedical systems integration. She holds academic appointments in Bio-X, the Cardiovascular Institute, and the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute. Her research focuses on developing wireless, low-power technologies for medical applications, including implantable devices for neurodegenerative diseases, stroke recovery, and diabetes management. Poon earned her PhD (2004) and MS (1999) in Electrical Engineering from UC Berkeley.

• Education: PhD and MS in Electrical Engineering, UC Berkeley (2004, 1999)
• Research Projects: Alzheimer’s memory device, wireless neuromodulation platforms, midfield wireless power transfer, and metasurface optics
• Affiliations: Stanford Diabetes Research Center (2019–present), CZ Biohub Investigator (2017)

Her work bridges physics, wireless engineering, and biology to create systems that interface with the body. Notable innovations include midfield powering for millimeter-scale implants and conductive hydrogels for stem cell guidance. Awards include the NSF CAREER Award (2013) and Okawa Foundation Grant (2010).

• Key Collaborators: Scott Delp, Karl Deisseroth, Ramin Beygui, Shanhui Fan
• Grants: Okawa Foundation, Terman Fellowship

Her lab develops tools for clinical translation, such as wireless EEG recorders and photothermal brain tumor therapies. Ongoing work addresses Alzheimer’s memory restoration and insulin delivery via macroencapsulation.