Harris Eyre is an Australian neuroscientist, entrepreneur and author.[1][2][3][4] He is focused on advancing the field of brain capital.[5] It is believed the world is increasingly relying on brain capital, where a premium is put on brain skills and brain health (e.g., individual’s cognitive, emotional, and social brain resources),[6] and that investing in building brain capital is fundamental to meet modern societal challenges and to drive innovation.[7] He is pioneering the brain-positive economic transition which is a global goal to stop and reverse the loss of brain capital. [8]
In his work, he incorporates insights from precision medicine,[11] clinical care,[12] entrepreneurship,[13] convergence science,[14] consumer participation,[15] workforce development,[16] economics,[17] public policy [18] and diplomacy.[19]
Eyre is a migraineur and recently wrote a short story titled "My migraines are a super power" for the European Federation of Neurological Associations.[20]
Eyre grew up in Mackay, Queensland, Australia[21] and completed his undergraduate medical degree (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) with Honours) at James Cook University in North Queensland, Australia.[22] His medical education specialized in rural, remote, Indigenous and tropical health.[23] He then completed his PhD in neuroscience at the University of Adelaide.[24] During his PhD, he was awarded the W.G. Walker Fulbright Scholarship to study at UCLA.[25] The W.G. Walker Fulbright Scholarship is awarded to the top Australian Fulbright Scholar annually.[26]
Eyre works with leading think tanks including the Center for Health and Biosciences at The Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University,[27] the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute,[28] the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association,[29] The Brookings Institution [30] and the Center for European Policy Studies.[31]
Eyre is the lead editor of 'Convergence Mental Health: A Roadmap Towards Transdisciplinary Innovation' with Oxford University Press.[32] The book description as outlined on the Oxford University Press website reads "Modern mental health issues are characterized by their complex, multi-systemic nature and broad societal impact, making them poorly suited to siloed approaches of thinking and innovation. Convergence science integrates knowledge, tools, and thought strategies from various fields and is the focal point where novel insights arise. Convergence Mental Health presents a blueprint for leveraging convergence science within the context of mental health in order to improve patient outcomes and health care systems."[32]
This book includes contributions from organizations including the Milken Institute, APEC, OECD, Harvard University, Stanford University and the Mayo Clinic.[32]
Notable chapter contributors include Julio Licinio, Vikram Patel and Reid Hoffman.[33]
Notable quotes of support come from Jeff Cummings, John Arnold, Peter C Farrell, Victor Dzau and Ernestine Fu.[33]
Eyre is leading the development of the Brain Capital Grand Strategy.[34][35][36] This includes exploring and actioning Brain Capital in-all-policies, articulating and actioning the Brain Capital Investment Plan,[37] and developing a Brain Capital Index.
He co-leads the OECD Neuroscience-inspired Policy Initiative.[38] This Initiative seeks to advance brain-based policy and investment innovations. On January 27, 2021, the OECD held a Brain Capital Event on this topic.[39] Notable speakers included Angel Gurria (OECD Secretary General), Admiral William H McRaven, Thomas C Leppert, Megan Greene and Francesca Colombo.[39] On March 26, 2021, the OECD held an event titled 'Innovations to Address Women’s Brain Health Inequalities' [40] Notable speakers included Juan Yermo (OECD Chief of Staff), Maureen Hackett, Antonella Santuccione, Sofia Noori, Sandra Bond Chapman and Megan Green.[40] On June 10, 2021, the OECD held an event titled 'Rethinking Productivity: Insights from Neuroscience'.[41] Notable speakers included George Vradenburg, Andy Keller, Husseini K Manji, Chiara Crisculo and Andrew S Nevin.[42]
He leads the Brain Capital Alliance.[43] This is an expanded, multi-national and multi-organisational programme.
Brain capital has been profiled in the following policy innovation fora:
A global coalition of authors recently published on this strategy by a Rice University Baker Institute for Public Policy Research Paper titled '7 Steps for Igniting the Brain Capital Industrial Strategy'. This is a public private strategy that focuses on building economic resilience through an emphasis on cultivating citizens’ brain health and brain skills to contribute to an innovative and thriving economy. This strategy outlines how governments, academia and the private sector need to unite to tackle this goal of improving our brain function and enhancing our potential. Funding initiatives, research partnerships and open dialogue will be critical to drive this movement forward. By championing an industry focused on improving brain function, the authors argue that we have the chance to reshape industries, enhance lives and shape a future that works for people’s brains.
Eyre has held a number of industry positions during his career.
He is an advisor to the HEKA Fund, a brain capital-focused venture fund which is a collaboration between Newfund Capital and FondaMental Fondation.[56] He was president and chief medical officer of PRODEO, a group of brain health-focused executives.[57] He co-founded The PRODEO Institute, a think-tank focused on radically approaches to advancing brain health.[58]
In 2015, Eyre was announced as Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of CNSdose, a company focused on personalized medication guidance.[59][60] CNSdose is noted for incorporating blood-brain-barrier genetics into their tool and publishing a Randomized Controlled Trial.[61][62] In 2016, the US Department of Veterans Affairs Health Administration noted CNSdose technology as "the most promising in an early field."[63] CNSdose is a Texas Medical Center Venture Fund Portfolio Company.[64] CNSdose completed the Melbourne Accelerator Program in 2016.[65] When Eyre was Chief Medical Officer, the non-executive chairman was Hon Andrew Robb AO (former Trade and Investment Minister of Australia).[66] As Chief Medical Officer, Eyre worked in successful teams to secure a major commercial contract with Intermountain Healthcare [67] and independent funding for a large, multi-side RCT with Ramsay Health Care.[68] While he was with CNSdose, he was heavily involved in scientific collaborations with global experts [69][70]
In his research career, he has co-authored numerous works including the 'Brain Capital Grand Strategy',[34] 'B rain Capital Industrial Innovation Policy' , 'Comprehensive Brain Deal' [72]'Green Brain Capital',[73] 'Neuroshield',[74]'Brain Health Executive',[75] 'Sleep Diplomacy', ‘Responsible Innovation in Mental Health ’,[76] 'Brain-based Stakeholder Capitalism',[77] 'Brain Health Gap',[78] 'Measurement-based Cognitive Care',[79] ‘Mental Health Innovation Diplomacy’ ,[80] the 'Brain Health Diplomacy' model,[81] the 'Mars Mental Health' model,[82] the 'Phase-specific Neuroimmune Model of Depression',[83] a meta-analysis of chemokines in depression,[84] a meta-analysis of pharmacogenetic-based decision support tools for depression,[85] a randomized controlled trial of yoga to prevent dementia[86] and the model of 'Convergence Psychiatry'.[14]
He maintains advisory roles with Baylor College of Medicine,[87]Houston Methodist, Brain Health Nexus at Cohen Veterans Bioscience,[88] the Davos Alzheimer's Collaborative.[89] and the Latin American Brain Health Institute.[90]
His academic work has been profiled in The New York Times,[91] the Financial Post,[92][93] neo.life,[94] STAT,[95] the Australian Financial Review,[96] the 'Financial Times',[97] Univision,[98] Dallas Morning News [99] and Les Echos.[100]
^Eyre, H. A.; Stuart, M. J.; Baune, B. T. (3 October 2014). "A phase-specific neuroimmune model of clinical depression". Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry. 54: 265–274. doi:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2014.06.011. PMID24999185. S2CID207410761.
