About Kevin

Dr. Kevin J. Tracey is a renowned neurosurgeon and scientist who pioneered the groundbreaking field of bioelectronic medicine, which combines molecular science, neuroscience, and electrical engineering. He currently serves as the President and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research in New York, where he directs the Laboratory of Biomedical Science. Kevin’s career was shaped by a medical mystery: after losing a young patient to a fatal immune reaction, he shifted his research to investigate how the nervous system controls the body’s immune response. His team discovered the “inflammatory reflex,” a crucial neural pathway—primarily involving the vagus nerve—that acts as the body’s natural “brake” on inflammation. This discovery launched a new category of treatment. Dr. Tracey co-founded companies like SetPoint Medical to develop tiny nerve-stimulating devices that can be implanted to electrically “hack” this reflex. These devices have shown success in clinical trials for treating severe inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease without the side effects of traditional drugs. An inventor on over 120 U.S. patents and the author of more than 400 scientific papers, Kevin continues to advance the field. His recent book, The Great Nerve: The New Science of the Vagus Nerve and How to Harness Its Healing Reflexes (2025), explores the vast potential of this nerve to revolutionize medicine.