Chemical engineering alumnus
carves a niche in the medical device industry
For the past 25 years, Bruce Shook has been working in the medical device industry to develop new ways to treat illnesses that patients never thought they could conquer.
A native of New Jersey, Shook was attracted to Penn State because of its strong chemical engineering program and its wide variety of academic offerings and extracurricular activities.
"Penn State was the place that captured my imagination," Shook says.
After graduating with a chemical engineering degree in 1981, Shook began his career at Air Products in Allentown, PA, as a startup engineer. There, he was part of a team that got cryogenic process plants up and running. He explained that each job could take anywhere from two weeks to six months to complete.
Throughout his career in the medical device industry, Shook has been involved in developing cardiac pacing and anti-arrhythmia products, a cardiac assist device, and a neurosurgical product to treat stroke.
In 2003, he founded Neuronetics, a privately held medical device company based in Malvern, PA, and is currently president and chief executive officer.
His company focuses on developing non-invasive therapies for psychiatric and neurological disorders using magnetic field pulses, and has raised $70 million in venture investment to develop and market transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) technology for the treatment of depression.
So far, the greatest success at Neuronetics has been the Neurostar TMS Therapy System. The system uses MRI-strength magnetic pulses to stimulate areas of the brain that are proven to be affected by depression. The magnetic pulses cause the release of neurotransmitters in a quick and easy 40-minute outpatient procedure.
Since NeuroStar's stimulation is limited to the brain, it does not produce any of the systemic side effects that plague oral antidepressant medications.
The treatment has produced extraordinary results in patients who have not seen success with anti-depressant medication or cannot tolerate medication side effects.
In October 2008, the Neurostar system received FDA clearance, which began a whirlwind of changes for Shook and his company.
"The company pretty much doubled in size within a couple of months," Shook explains.
Neuronetics was no longer just a research and development company. The Neurostar system was now being manufactured and sold across the country, so it was necessary for Shook to implement a marketing team, direct sales force, and customer service division into Neuronetics.
The triumphant results from the Neurostar System have gained it recognition from major media outlets across the country, including Good Morning America and Forbes Magazine.
Even after the immense success of his company, the entrepreneur explained that his biggest accomplishment is being able to create technology that reduces human suffering.
"The most rewarding part is hearing about patients who have been made well by our product," Shook says, "When they write you a letter or call and tell you that the technology saved their life, that's about as good as it gets."
When not changing the face of medical treatment, he is active with the Penn State Research Foundation. He believes that his success as an entrepreneur will help the advancement of the intellectual property estate at the university.
—Mallory Jaroski