More than a decade ago, Kilgard, Rennaker and Hays conceived a therapy involving VNS to rewire circuits in the brain. This month, Time magazine selected the MicroTransponder Vivistim Paired VNS System, which utilizes the method conceived at UT Dallas, as one of its 200 Best Inventions of 2023. The investigators concluded that long-term VNS therapy integrated into a home exercise program was safe, well-tolerated, and resulted in substantial improvements in arm and hand function of chronic stroke survivors. To learn more about how UT Dallas is enhancing lives through transformative research, explore New Dimensions: The Campaign for UT Dallas. “Many things we produce in our research are promissory notes: ‘In the future, this is going to work great,’” Kilgard said.