Suthana Lab

May 2, 2026

Lab Logo

Throughout my time at Duke, I have had vast exposure and development experience in XR, including some in XR healthcare-related research. In July of 2025, I had the privilege of joining another lab at Duke assisting with their XR efforts in Neuroscience research: the Suthana Lab. For the past nine months, I have been developing, maintaining, and running custom VR and AR programs using Unity and Unreal Engine that serve as clinical patient trials.

Lab Team Picture

Game Details

My Role

Game Developer

Genre

Simulation Experiences for Neuroscience Research

Platform

Meta Quest Pro, Magic Leap 2

Development Tools

Unity, C#, Unreal Engine 5, Meta XR SDK, MagicLeap SDK

Key Features

  • Functional tasks that serve as neuroscience experiment trials
  • Immersive environments to enable natural neurological reactions to stimuli
  • Eye tracking and external hardware integrations

Teammates

  • Nanthia Suthana, PhD
  • Daniel Batista
  • Emi Jenkens-Drake
  • Alba Peris-Yague, PhD
  • Marcia Bécu, PhD
  • Martin Seeber, PhD
  • Uros Topalovic, PhD
  • Mauricio Vallejo Martelo
  • Yuchao Wang
  • Ebuka Oragwam
  • Gabby Vilchez
  • Joel White
  • Sonja Hiller

Visuals & Media

Lab Showcase by Mashable

Clinical Trial for PTSD

Development Process

When we combine our custom XR experiences with various brain-imaging tools (both non-invasive and invasive), the trials yield valuable insight into the functions of the human brain. Our research is conducted with the purpose of improving cognitive functions, studying human memory, and treating certain conditions like Parkinson's Disease or PTSD. My time in the Suthana Lab has inspired me to search for similar opportunities that combine XR and Healthcare. I will forever be an advocate of Serious Games as a tool for positive social impact (beyond entertainment).

Key Takeaways

  • XR in Healthcare is Impactful - Developing VR/AR experiences for clinical research demonstrated how immersive technology can enable genuine scientific breakthroughs and improve patient outcomes
  • Serious Games Drive Real Value - Games designed with purpose, like treating PTSD, studying memory, or improving cognition, can create meaningful social impact beyond entertainment
  • Hardware Expertise Matters - Working with specialized platforms (Meta Quest Pro, Magic Leap 2) and integrating eye tracking and external systems taught me the technical depth required for enterprise XR applications
  • Interdisciplinary Collaboration is Essential - Working alongside neuroscientists, engineers, and clinicians reinforced that the best solutions come from diverse expertise working toward a shared goal

More Information

Suthana Lab Website

VR Transforming Healthcare Spotlight Article (I/O Magazine)