JMIR Neurotechnology taps digital health researcher Sara Simblett as editor in chief

The open-access publisher JMIR Publications has named Dr. Sara Simblett as the new editor in chief of JMIR Neurotechnology, a journal focused on the intersection of technology and neuroscience research.

A bridge between clinical psychology and digital tools

Simblett is a clinical academic whose work sits at the boundary between traditional neuropsychology and the digital tools increasingly used to deliver and study mental health interventions. Her research combines clinical psychology with implementation science and data-driven methods such as ecological momentary assessment - a technique that captures patient experiences in real time through mobile devices rather than relying on recall during clinic visits.

This combination of clinical grounding and technological fluency is relevant for a journal covering neurotechnology, a field where advances in brain-computer interfaces, neurostimulation devices, and digital therapeutics are generating research that needs both technical and clinical expertise to evaluate properly.

What JMIR Neurotechnology covers

JMIR Neurotechnology sits within the broader JMIR Publications portfolio, which includes the flagship Journal of Medical Internet Research and more than 30 other peer-reviewed, open-access journals covering digital health. The neurotechnology journal focuses specifically on research at the intersection of neuroscience and technology, including but not limited to brain-computer interfaces, neurofeedback systems, wearable neurological monitoring, and digital interventions for neurological and psychiatric conditions.

The appointment comes as the neurotechnology field is expanding rapidly, driven by developments in implantable devices, AI-powered neural decoding, and consumer-grade brain-sensing wearables. An editor with direct clinical experience in how patients actually engage with digital health tools - and where those tools fall short - could help the journal navigate the gap between technical capability and real-world clinical utility.

About the publisher

JMIR Publications, based in Toronto, positions itself as both a publisher and a technology organization. Beyond traditional peer review and publication, it offers tools for research dissemination and author support. The publisher has been a consistent advocate for open-access publishing in digital health, making all research freely available from the date of publication.

The editorial appointment does not come with details about specific strategic changes planned for the journal. How Simblett's research focus on patient engagement and scalable digital interventions will shape editorial priorities remains to be seen as her tenure develops.