Steven T Walston

Steven T Walston, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Research Ophthalmology at the University of Southern California. As a retinal electrophysiologist and biomedical engineer, he specializes in neural interface technologies aimed at restoring vision through advanced prostheses and understanding retinal degeneration pathologies.

Research Focus: His work spans three core domains: 1) Developing electrical stimulation strategies for retinal prostheses, 2) Investigating neural alterations during retinal degeneration, and 3) Engineering nanomaterial-based electrodes integrated into flexible microelectrode arrays to enhance neural-electrode communication. This interdisciplinary approach bridges biomedical engineering, nanotechnology, and clinical ophthalmology.

Awards & Honors:

• Artificial Vision Symposium Travel Grant (2015)
• William Hansen Sandberg Memorial Foundation Scholarship (2015)
• NEI EY022931-S1 Research Grant (2013-2016)
• NIH Intramural Research Training Award (2009)

Publication Trends: His 15 most recent articles (2016-2025) demonstrate a strong focus on neural interface innovation, particularly graphene-based microelectrodes for high-resolution neural recording/stimulation. Key themes include retinal electrophysiology characterization, advanced calcium imaging techniques, and translational applications for visual restoration. Nanomaterial engineering and in vivo validation dominate his recent methodological contributions.