Lionheart Health, Inc., a company specializing in bioelectric regenerative medicine and healthspan optimization technologies, announced that Dr. Joseph C. Maroon has joined its Scientific and Clinical Advisory Board. Dr. Maroon is a board-certified neurosurgeon and Clinical Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center with extensive experience in brain health, sports neurosurgery, concussion management, and longevity science. Dr. Maroon's appointment strengthens Lionheart Health's focus on developing evidence-based bioelectric stimulation therapies designed to improve cognition, memory, and mood while supporting neuroplasticity and reducing systemic and neuroinflammation.
The company's multi-modality platform includes technologies such as BodStim™ and Brain Band™, which align with Dr. Maroon's focus on neuroprotection and performance longevity. Dr. Maroon will advise on brain health clinical study design, neurocognitive endpoint validation, concussion and neuroinflammation applications, and the translation of regenerative signaling science into clinical protocols. Optimizing brain health is central to extending meaningful healthspan, Dr. Maroon commented regarding his new role. Dr. Maroon's decades of leadership in neurosurgery and preventive brain health bring exceptional scientific credibility and clinical insight to Lionheart Health, said Howard Leonhardt, Founder and Executive Chairman of Lionheart Health, Inc.
The company is currently advancing multiple clinical initiatives focused on improving functional biomarkers of aging, including grip strength, gait speed, cognition, and inflammatory markers. Lionheart Health's intellectual property portfolio includes patents targeting key regenerative and neuroprotective signaling pathways such as Klotho, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), and GDF10. These pathways play critical roles in neuroplasticity, synaptic resilience, and inflammation modulation. The company aims to modulate these protein expressions through its bioelectric stimulation platforms to support cognitive performance and neurovascular integrity.
Brain health represents one of three core pillars in which Lionheart Health is competing in the $101M XPRIZE Healthspan Competition. The company's Brain Band™ recently received a UCI Capstone Grant, providing engineering researchers to advance device optimization. Lionheart Health has also been recognized as 2025 Micro Stimulator Developer of the Year by Medtech Outlook Magazine and won the Abbvie Allergan ULP Innovation Award. The company has completed pre-clinical studies at AccuLab Life Sciences in San Diego and a pilot clinical study in Brazil. Lionheart Health is preparing to enroll participants in a combination BodStim™ and Brain Band™ clinical trial for brain health, building on previous studies that demonstrated statistically significant improvements in brain health outcomes.
Dr. Maroon brings more than four decades of experience in academic neurosurgery, having performed thousands of complex brain and spine procedures while advancing minimally invasive techniques. He has served as Team Neurosurgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers for decades and is a prolific scientific author with over 300 peer-reviewed publications. His research has contributed to understanding neuroinflammation, omega-3 fatty acids in brain protection, and integrative strategies for preserving cognitive function. Lionheart Health operates licensed longevity and wellness clinics and collaborates with academic institutions to generate peer-reviewed data supporting its therapies. The company's technologies are designed to activate regenerative signaling pathways to improve muscle strength, cognitive function, metabolic health, and immune resilience as part of its mission to extend healthy years of life.
