Biomedical Engineering, IoT Devices, Computational Neuroscience, Cognitive Science.

John Eric Steephen studied Electronics Engineering at College of Engineering Trivandrum, and Biomedical Engineering for his Master’s degree at IIT Bombay. After obtaining his PhD in Computational Neuroscience from IIT Bombay, he made a transition to Cognitive Science and Experimental Psychology during his postdoctoral positions at the Centre for Neural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Hyderabad and Kohli Centre on Intelligent Systems, IIIT Hyderabad. Prior to pursuing his Master’s degree, he worked as a software engineer in the IT industry in India and Germany.

He joined IIITM-K in 2019 as an Assistant Professor and shifted to Digital University Kerala subsequently. He teaches mainly courses on programming, data structures and database management for the post-graduate programs of the University. He served as the Chair of Admissions from 2022 to 2023, and as the Chair of the School of Digital Sciences from 2023 to 2025. He leads the CAN Lab at Digital University Kerala, where his research group drives research and innovation in Biomedical Engineering, IoT Devices, and Computational Neuroscience. CAN Lab holds the distinction of securing the first patent granted to Digital University Kerala. He has research papers in the areas of affective computing, cognitive science, computational neuroscience and biomedical engineering in internationally well-respected conferences and journals.

His research interests can be broadly divided into the following themes:

• Gain an improved understanding of the normal and abnormal functioning of CNS neurons using computational models and suggest methods and techniques for more effective treatment of addiction and other mental disorders.
• Study the human emotion system employing computational methods and techniques, supported by experiments, to contribute towards a better understanding of emotional disorders and thus assist mental health specialists in treating and managing them optimally.
• Research and development of healthcare devices with an objective to prevent and manage various medical conditions, with special focus on devices that can address problems that are unique to resource-constrained settings.

Know More

• PhD in Computational Neuroscience, IIT Bombay, 2011.
• MTech in Biomedical Engineering, IIT Bombay, 2004.
• BTech in Applied Electronics & Instrumentation Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum, 1996.

• Senior Research Scientist, Cognitive Science Lab, Kohli Center on Intelligent Systems, IIIT Hyderabad, 2016 – 2017.
• DST-CSI Post-Doctoral Fellow, Cognitive Science Lab, Kohli Center on Intelligent Systems, IIIT Hyderabad, 2014 – 2016.
• DST-CSI Post-Doctoral Fellow, Centre for Neural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Hyderabad, 2011 – 2014.
• Research Associate, Computational Neuroscience lab, Dept of Biosciences & Bioengineering, IIT Bombay, 2010 – 2011.
• Senior Software Engineer, SDI Tech Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai and Cleverlearn.com GmBH, Munich, Germany, 2000 – 2002.
• Software Engineer, ICE Software, CSEZ, Cochin, 1998 – 2000.

• Problem Solving and Programming in C
• Object Oriented Programming
• Python Programming for Data Analytics
• Database Management Systems
• Secure Data Management
• Data Structures & Algorithms
• Scientific Writing & Communication

Journals and Conferences

• Steephen, J. E., Padmakumar, M., & Manchanda, R. (2026). Enhancement of Calcium Responses by KIR Current Inactivation in Medium Spiny Neurons. Journal of Biosciences 51:7.
• Tharion, J., Ismavel, V. A., Mammen, J., Viswanathan, A. M., Joseph, J., Steephen, J. E., Raj, A., Nair, S., Miriam, A., & Daniel, D. (2025). Novel Low-cost Intra-operative Autotransfusion Device. In 4th International Congress for Innovation in Global Surgery, Blantyre, Malawi.
• Padmakumar, M., Rajan, D., & Steephen, J. E. (2024). Effect of Focused Ultrasonic Stimulation via Intramembrane Cavitation in the Squid Giant Axon. In S. Appukuttan, J. S. Haas, & T. Nowotny (Eds.), Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Computational Neuroscience Meeting, Natal, Brazil. Journal of Computational Neuroscience, 53(Suppl 1), S11. 
• Tharion, J., Viswanathan, A. M., Joseph, J., Steephen, J. E., Ismavel, V. A. (2023). Novel Gravity-driven Device for Intra-operative Auto-transfusion In: Innovative Blood Transfusion Strategies for Blood Deserts in LMICs, Harvard Radcliffe Institute, Cambridge. 
• Steephen, J. E., Kummetha, S., Obbineni, S. C., & Surampudi, B. R. (2021). Mood-congruent biases in facial emotion perception and their gender dependence, International Journal of Psychology, 56(3), 378-386. 
• Steephen, J. E., Obbineni, S. C., Kummetha, S., & Surampudi, B. R. (2020). HED-ID: An affective adaptation model explaining the intensity-duration relationship of emotion, IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing, 11(4), 736 – 750.
• Steephen, J. E., Mehta, S. R., & Surampudi, B. R. (2018). Do we expect women to look happier than they are?: A test of gender-dependent perceptual correction, Perception, 47(2), 232-235.
• Steephen, J. E. (2013). HED: A computational model of affective adaptation and emotion dynamics. IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing, 4(2), 197-210.
• John, J., Steephen, J. E., & Manchanda, R. (2013). Inactivation of KIR current modulates subthreshold synaptic inputs in striatal medium spiny neurons: A computational study. In World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering May 26-31, 2012, Beijing, China (pp. 2232-2235). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
• Steephen, J. E. (2011). Excitability range of medium spiny neurons widens through the combined effects of inward rectifying potassium current inactivation and dopaminergic modulation. Neurocomputing, 74, 3884-3897.
• Steephen, J. E., & Manchanda, R. (2009). Differences in biophysical properties of nucleus accumbens medium spiny neurons emerging from inactivation of inward rectifying potassium currents. Journal of Computational Neuroscience, 27, 453–470.
• Steephen, J. E., & Manchanda, R. (2009). Effects of coaction of dopaminergic modulation and inward rectifying potassium current inactivation on the biophysical properties of medium spiny neurons. Neuroscience Research, 65, S135.
• Steephen, J. E., & Manchanda, R. (2009). KIR current inactivation modulates dendritic calcium in medium spiny neurons. BMC Neuroscience, 10(Suppl 1), P25. 
• Steephen, J. E., & Manchanda, R. (2009). Influence of inward rectifying potassium current inactivation on dopaminergic modulation of medium spiny neurons. Proceedings of the 13th international conference on cognitive and neural systems, Boston, USA, P130.
• Steephen, J. E., & Manchanda, R. (2008). Modulation of synaptically induced burst strength and spike onset timing by inactivating KIRcurrents in medium spiny neurons. BMC Neuroscience, 9(Suppl 1), P57. 
• Steephen, J., & Manchanda, R. (2007). Differences in biophysical properties of nucleus accumbens medium spiny neurons emerging from inactivation of inward rectifying potassium currents. BMC Neuroscience, 8(Suppl 2), P116. 
• Steephen, J., & Manchanda, R. (2006). Role of inactivating KIR currents in the behaviour of Medium Spiny Neurons of Nucleus Accumbens. Models of Brain and Mind: Physical, Computational and Psychological Approaches, Kolkata, India. 

• Viswanathan, A. M., Tharion, J., Padmakumar, M., Joseph, J., & Steephen J. E. (2025). A device for preventing urethral balloon inflation complications in transurethral catheterization (Indian Patent Application No. 202441090389). The Patent Office, Govt. of India. 
• Tharion, J., Steephen, J. E., Joseph, J., & Ismavel, V. A. (2023). A gravity-driven apparatus for blood salvage and autotransfusion (Indian Patent No. 539411). The Patent Office, Govt. of India. 

• “A reusable device to facilitate safe urethral catheterization and prevent urethral balloon inflation complications in mails, funded by ICMR, 2026-28
• “IoT-based Cold Chain Monitoring and Tracking System” under ERCMPU Digitalization Project, funded by Milma, 2025-26.
• “Medical devices for iatrogenic urethral damage prevention, assisted bladder emptying, and intraoperative autologous blood retransfusion”, funded by K-DISC, 2022-26
• “Effects of Ultrasonic Neuromodulation on Nucleus Accumbens Neurons: A Computational Study”, funded by DST, 2023-25.
• “Implementation of Online Training, Learning Management and Video Conferencing System for Integrated Child Protection Scheme.”, funded by Women and Child Development Department, 2020-21.
• “Exploration of affective dynamics using computational and empirical approaches” funded by DST, 2014-17.
• “A computational model of temporal dynamics of subjective experience of emotions”, funded by DST, 2011-14.

• Reviewer for Elsevier, Hindawi, Wiley and Springer Nature. 
• Chair, Academic Audit & Lab Infrastructure (2026 – present)
• School Chair, School of Digital Sciences (2023 – 2025)
• Chair, Admissions (2022 – 2023) 
• Club Secretary, NDLI (2022 – 2023)
• Chief Superintendent of Examinations (2022)
• Chair, PhD admission committee (2021-2022)
• Convenor, Strategic Planning sub-committee (2022)
• Chair, Subcommittee to make recommendations on the modalities of action process and admission procedure for PhD Admission (2022). 

• WFSA Innovation Award ($25,000) in Blood Health, 2026.
• 1st prize in the Innovation category at the 4th International Congress on Innovations in Global Surgery at Blantyre, Malawi, 2025
• DST-CSRI Postdoctoral fellowship, 2014
• DST-CSRI Postdoctoral fellowship, 2011
• Travel Awards to participate in conferences in Canada, Taiwan, US, Germany and Japan, 2005-2009
• 1st prize in Institute Level Business Idea Competition, IIT Bombay, 2008
• Employee of the quarter, ICE Software, CSEZ, Cochin, 1999.