Adam Cohen

Senior Vice President, Treasurer & Chief Accounting Officer, LINCOLN NATIONAL CORP

Search every verified Adam Cohen interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Adam Cohen, a scientist and researcher, has given presentations on neuroscience and sustainable building design. In a 2016 TEDxCambridge talk, Cohen described his work developing optical techniques to both stimulate and record electrical activity in neurons. He explained that his laboratory created a system using light-sensitive proteins from microorganisms to create a "bidirectional optical interface" for neurons, allowing them to be stimulated with blue light and recorded with red light. Cohen stated that this approach enables the study of electrical impulses propagating through cells at high speed and that the technology has been used to study neurons derived from skin cells of ALS patients, contributing to a clinical trial for a potential treatment. In 2018, Cohen spoke at the North American Passive House Conference about the future of shelter and building materials. He discussed the need to move away from fossil-fuel-based materials toward biology-based alternatives, suggesting that buildings could be "grown" using materials like mushroom-based insulation. Cohen also commented on the resilience of natural and human systems, stating that while the current global system is "both robust and incredibly fragile," he expressed confidence that systems "would rebalance" after disruption. He advocated for a shift in mindset among designers and builders toward creating integrated, modular shelter systems that can be assembled and reassembled as needed.