The gut and brain are intricately linked through a two-way communication system known as the gut-brain axis, a connection that enables continuous signaling between the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system. This plays a key role in regulating not only digestion but also mood, cognition, and behavior. In fact, gut dysfunctions have been increasingly associated with neurological disorders such as anxiety, depression, and even neurodegenerative diseases, but the neural mechanisms behind this communication remain poorly understood.
Yale electrical engineer Claudia Cea and her lab are looking into it.
Cea designs soft, multifunctional devices that seamlessly interface with the nervous system to precisely measure neural activity and its influence on peripheral organs. Last year, she was named to MIT Technology Review's list of "35 Under 35" innovators for developing the first fully flexible, standalone neural recording device composed entirely of soft, biocompatible components - including the power supply and wireless data transmission unit - used for real-time recording and detection of epileptic discharges in vivo.
In the latest edition of "Office Hours," a Q&A series that introduces new Yale faculty members to the broader community, the assistant professor of electrical & computer engineering at Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science discusses the science of butterflies in your stomach, how a fictional American doctor inspired her, and some of her favorite movies.
| Title | Assistant professor of electrical & computer engineering |
| Research Interest | Developing soft, multifunctional devices that interface with the nervous system to enable precise, long-term interrogation and modulation of neural activity. |
| Prior Institution | MIT |
| Started at Yale | July 2025 |
How would you describe your research?
Claudia Cea: I work on highly flexible and biocompatible neuroelectronic devices. My past work has primarily focused on the brain, but I am now expanding my research to investigate brain - body communication, specifically how the brain interacts with peripheral organs, with a growing emphasis on the gut-brain axis.
Why the gut?
Cea: They say the gut is the "second brain." It contains its own network of neurons, some of which function independently from the central nervous system. There is increasing evidence that neurological disorders like anxiety, depression, and even Parkinson's disease are linked to gut dysfunction, but this connection is still poorly understood mainly because there is a lack of bio-electronic devices that can actually interface with the gut.
My main goal is to develop the type of devices that can not only record the neural activity, but also stimulate it in different ways.
What makes it so difficult to create an interface for the gut?
Cea: Interfacing with the enteric nervous system - a neural network found in the gastrointestinal tract - poses unique challenges because its neurons are sparsely distributed and embedded within delicate layers of tissue. Effective access requires ultra-thin, flexible devices that conform to the curved, dynamic surfaces of the gastrointestinal tract. Additionally, the gut can generate a strong foreign-body response, so implanted devices must have carefully matched mechanical properties to reduce inflammation and avoid fibrotic encapsulation that could impair function.
What are some effects of the brain-gut connection?
Cea: There's a lot of gut dysfunctions correlated to neurological disorders and conditions. For instance, patients with Parkinson's disease or autism frequently show gastrointestinal symptoms. But also when you are anxious, your stomach tightens. When you are in love, you get butterflies. These are not just random things that people feel, they reflect real physiological communication between the gut and the brain.
What steered you towards engineering and science in the first place?
Cea: Growing up in Italy, I used to watch "House M.D." with my brother. But the thing is, I've always been afraid of needles and blood - so I was fascinated by the job but there was no way I could do that. I was like, "OK, if I cannot do this, at least I can build devices that can be used for medical applications." So my undergrad and my master's degrees are in biomedical engineering. And then my Ph.D. was in electrical engineering. The funny thing is that my brother did become a doctor.
What do you do when you're not working?
Cea: I really like movies. I was lucky enough to live in New York for five years during my Ph.D., and they have a lot of film festivals. I really spend a lot of time searching for independent movie theaters. One of my favorite movies is an Italian one, which is called "Cinema Paradiso." I think it won an Oscar. It's an old one.
And I always played volleyball growing up. Now I have switched to beach volleyball, but I don't play as much as I used to. Also, I just recently got into pickleball. And then, as an Italian, I like exploring new restaurants with my friends. I really like communities and sharing things with people.
