Thomas F. Collura

Dr. Thomas F. Collura, Ph.D., PE (born 1952) is President of BrainMaster Technologies Incorporated, and Clinical Director of the Brain Enrichment Center, both located in Bedford, Ohio and is a past president of the International Society for Neurofeedback & Research (ISNR). He also has served the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB) as the President of the Neurofeedback Division. He is a pioneer of creating low-cost EEG acquisition machines for neurofeedback and research purposes and for developing real-time normative database neurofeedback training utilizing z-scores as a quantitative method of regulating metrics related to power and connectivity in the EEG.

His work in z-score based neurofeedback has revolutionized the industry by providing practitioners with a method whereby they may see instantaneous responses of the efficacy of their neurofeedback training protocol and automatically assess which values are outside of their respective normative value. In doing so, the z-score software spearheaded by Dr. Collura can immediately recognize the deviant value, and focus training on that particular metric.

At BrainMaster Technologies, he is the Chief Executive and the President of Research and Development. He actively participates in and personally guides the development of all the various hardware and software components produced by BrainMaster Technologies.

Early life and college

Dr. Thomas Collura, Ph.D., QEEG-D, BCN, LPCC was born in Cleveland, Ohio on January 5, 1952. He graduated high school from Euclid High School in 1969 after spending a year as an exchange student through the American Field Service in Shiga Prefecture, Japan during 1968.

Dr. Collura was accepted to Brown University after high school where he obtained his A.B. in the Philosophy of Science with a concentration in Biological Foundations of the Mind in 1973. From Brown University, he then obtained his Sc.B. in Biology, also in 1973 with a concentration in Cellular Neurobiology and Human Information Processing.

After completing his bachelor's degrees from Brown University, he spent some time in the U.S. Peace Corps as a Tuberculosis Control Worker in Suwon, Korea.

Then, from 1973 to 1974, Dr. Collura worked as an Application Engineer at the Industrial Drives Division of Eaton Corporation, Airflex Plant in Cleveland, Ohio. While there, he focused on the design and application of clutches and brakes for stamping presses, oil wells, winches, paper machines, and grinding mills. He also published technical reports and application notes while developing computer simulation methods.

Dr. Collura obtained his Master's degree (M.S.) from Case Western University in Cleveland, Ohio in 1977. His Master's thesis was entitled, “Application of Analog Spectrum Analysis to the Human EEG Photic Driving Response.”

In 1978, he was then granted his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Case, with thesis advisor Leon Harmon. His dissertation was titled, “Synchronous Brain Evoked Potential Correlates of Directed Attention in Humans.”

Dr. Collura is board certified in Quantitative EEG (QEEG) by the Quantitative Electroencephalography Certification Board, and is board certified in neurofeedback by the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA).

Professional life

Dr. Collura worked as a member of the technical staff at AT&T Bell Laboratories located in Allentown, Pennsylvania from 1978-1980. While there, he was involved in the development of 5-micrometre and 3.5-micrometre silicon-gate MOS-LSI integrated circuit technologies, and also in the design of process diagnostic hardware and software, including experimental silicon structures.

Shortly thereafter, Dr. Collura was then a supervisor at AT&T Bell Laboratories in Skokie, IL, He held this position from 1980 until 1986. His duties there included leading a five-member group chartered with design of 3.5-micrometre and 2.5-micrometre silicon-gate process technologies for custom-logic integrated circuits. His work also included designing a UNIX-based system for LSI IC process monitoring, diagnostics, and simulation. He then moved into systems engineering of integrated voice/data systems and interactive graphics.

While working as a staff supervisor at AT&T Bell Labs, he was also on staff as a consultant in the Department of Behavioral Toxicology at University of Illinois Chicago from 1984 until 1986.

Then, Dr. Collura returned to Cleveland, Ohio to work in the world-famous Cleveland Clinic Foundation. It was here where he began focused work on EEG as a Neurological Computing Scientist in the Cleveland Clinic's Department of Neurology from 1986 until 1995. His research and engineering projects included man-machine interfaces and interactive graphic software for long-term EEG monitoring, digital EEG, integrated laboratory systems, and signal processing and control. While there, he contributed to the commercialization effort for the Vangard product line which included software and user-interfaces, design specification and control. He continued to work in this department and turned towards working with epilepsy as he developed computer-based clinical neurophysiological computing systems for detection and analysis of epileptiform EEG activity.

From 1995 to 2000, Dr. Collura then became a clinical instructor in Neurophysiology in the Cleveland Clinic's Department of Neurology. As a clinical instructor, Dr. Collura trained medical staff in the technical foundations of EEG, EEG electrophysiology, and principles and applications of neurological computing. During these same years, Dr. Collura was also a Senior Associate and Project Director of Plexar Associates and Picker X-Ray Corporation. His projects there included designing detector acquisition and processing software for X-Ray Computerized Tomography and infrared laser-imaging CT.

During 1999 through 2000, Dr. Collura was also a consultant for InVision Technologies, developing remote diagnostic and reporting systems for automated CT-based inspections systems.

BrainMaster Technologies, Inc.

In 1995, Dr. Collura founded BrainMaster Technologies, Inc. There, he is the President, and Director of Research and Development. BrainMaster Technologies designs and manufactures low-cost EEG machines for clinical neurofeedback and research purposes. For his inventions, Dr. Collura has received five patents and his company has an FDA 510(k) clearance, ISO 13485 certification, and CE marking in Europe. In 2012, BrainMaster received a Nortech Innovation Award for their BrainAvatar real-time 3-D brain electrical imaging system.

In 2013, Dr. Collura received a master's degree in Mental Health Counseling from Walden University, and became licensed as a Professional Counselor in Ohio. He then became the Clinical Director of the Brain Enrichment Center in Bedford, Ohio. He is also a National Certified Counselor (NCC) (National Board for Certified Counselors).

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References

    Selected Published Material...,[. 1][. 2][. 3][. 4][. 5][. 6][. 7][. 8][. 9][. 10]

    1. Collura, T.F. (2009) Towards a Coherent View of Brain Connectivity , Journal of Neurotherapy, vol. 12 (2-3), 99-110).
    2. Collura, T.F. (2009) Neuronal Dynamics in Relation to Normative Electroencephalography Assessment and Training, Biofeedback Volume 36, Issue 4, pp. 134-139.
    3. Collura, T.F., Thatcher, R.W., Smith, M.L., Lambos, W.A., and C.R. Stark (2009) EEG Biofeedback training using Z-scores and a normative database , in: (Budzynski, T., Budzynski, H., Evans, W., and A. Arbanal, eds) Introduction to QEEG and Neurofeedback : Advanced Theory and Applications, Second Edition. New York: Elsevier.
    4. Collura,TF, Guan, J., Tarrant, J., Bailey, J., and Starr, F. (2010) EEG Biofeedback Case Studies Using Live Z-Score Training (LZT) and a Normative Database , Journal of Neurotherapy 14(2), 22-46.
    5. Collura, T.F. (2013) Technical Foundations of Neurofeedback. London: Routledge (Taylor/Francis).
    6. Fehmi, L., and Collura, T.F. (2007) The Effects of Electrode Placement Upon EEG Biofeedback Training: The Monopolar / Bipolar Controversy, Journal of Neurotherapy, Vol. 11 (2) 45-63.
    7. Collura, Thomas F. (1993). History and Evolution of Electroencephalographic Instruments and Techniques. Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology, 10 (4), 476-477.
    8. Collura, Thomas F. (1995). History and Evolution of Computerized Electroencephalography. Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology, 12 (3), 214-229.
    9. Collura, T.F., H. Luders, & R.C. Burgess (1990) "EEG Mapping for Surgery of Epilepsy," Brain Topography, 3(1), 65-77.
    10. Collura, T. F. (2012). Individualized assessment and treatment using advanced EEG and dynamic localization techniques with live sLORETA. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 85(3), 288-290.


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