By the time Bryson Rhodes walked into the high-throughput COVID testing lab at LynxDX in Cleveland, he was just 23 years old. Yet, as the youngest member of a team of seasoned scientists, Rhodes was immediately entrusted with responsibilities that many would consider the domain of much more experienced professionals. During an eight-hour shift, he processed between 3,000 and 5,000 test results, overseeing a delicate choreography between robotic pipettes and human oversight to ensure the accuracy of PCR analysis.
“I remember thinking, ‘Wow, this is how software, automation, and human skill can come together to solve something real,’” Rhodes recalls. “The scale, the complexity—it was both inspiring and intimidating.”
Rhodes’ path to that lab had been shaped by early academic curiosity and a drive to solve problems creatively. As an undergraduate, he developed a discovery that would later prove foundational in his work, earning the respect of peers and mentors in labs dominated by scientists with decades of experience. But it wasn’t only formal training that shaped him. Small, personal projects played a role, too—like the first piece of functional code he wrote to wish his sister, Brittany, a happy birthday exactly at midnight.
“That countdown timer taught me the basics of coding, environment setup, debugging,” he says. “But more than that, it taught me that coding is creative. It’s like cooking—you gather ingredients, you choose your tools, you follow a process, and then you adjust until it’s right.”
That blend of technical precision and creative experimentation would become central to Rhodes’ work on the Neuroplastic Fitness Index (NFI), an algorithmic tool designed to quantify the brain’s adaptability. What began as playful tinkering with random number generators and test variables quickly evolved into a platform capable of integrating with Apple Watch sensors, capturing gyroscopic data, touch modalities, and auditory inputs to monitor cognitive and motor flexibility in real time.
“Developing the NFI was a moment where my analytical and creative instincts converged,” Rhodes explains. “It felt like Mozart at the piano—my fingers translating neural logic into algorithmic expression.”
The work required balancing technical rigor with adaptability. In one notable example at LynxDX, Rhodes faced a problem with saliva samples coagulating during the denaturation step of PCR testing. Standard protocols required boiling samples to deactivate the virus, but saliva’s unique protein composition interfered with automated pipette volumes. Rhodes devised a solution: adjusting the temperature and duration of boiling while splitting the algorithm so that samples could be stored between shifts, boosting efficiency while maintaining safety.
“Small tweaks like this made a huge difference,” he says. “It wasn’t just about science—it was about workflow, scalability, and accessibility. That mindset carried straight into the development of the NFI.”
When Rhodes transitioned to his master’s program in Clinical Neuroscience, he brought that same ethos of experimentation and curiosity to algorithm development. He recalls long nights coding, testing outputs, and refining variables—seeing patterns, testing hypotheses, and slowly building a system capable of operationalizing neuroplasticity in a quantifiable, interactive way.
“The NFI is more than an algorithm,” Rhodes says. “It’s a framework for understanding human adaptability, a bridge between computation and lived experience.”
Even seemingly minor inspirations contributed to his creative process. He recounts a moment when his cat walked across the keyboard, rearranging lines of code in a way that actually improved the algorithm’s structure. “Innovation often comes from unexpected sources,” he laughs. “You have to be open to playfulness, serendipity, and unconventional solutions.”
Rhodes’ approach also includes a personal cognitive strategy he calls the “micro black box,” a mental tool for compartmentalization. By visualizing a 50-micron black box nestled in the visual cortex, he can mentally minimize tasks or datasets until they need attention, preserving focus while managing complex projects. “It’s like minimizing a window on a computer,” he explains. “It keeps me balanced—able to maintain focus on science without losing empathy or creativity.”
His perspective is informed not just by laboratory experience but by mentorship and observation. Even in a high-pressure, high-output environment like LynxDX, Rhodes emphasizes the importance of community, collaboration, and feedback. The development of the NFI included public beta testing, where users from around the world helped refine both the algorithm and the user interface. “Innovation is meaningless without impact,” he says. “The tools we create have to serve people, not just exist as code on a server.”
Creativity and science, he argues, are inseparable. The same pattern recognition, iterative refinement, and expressive problem-solving that guide his musical and artistic pursuits inform his scientific work. From a confocal microscope to the keys of a piano, Rhodes sees parallels between the precision of lab experiments and the artistry of creation.
Looking back, Rhodes views his experience at LynxDX as formative—not just in teaching him technical skills, but in shaping his approach to problem-solving. Whether adjusting a PCR assay protocol, coding a birthday countdown, or designing the NFI, the lessons of adaptability, precision, and creativity have remained constant.
“The essence of what I do is to see patterns, understand processes, and translate insight into action,” he says. “Every experiment, every line of code, every prototype is part of a larger composition aimed at enhancing human potential.”
Today, Rhodes is focused on scaling the NFI, integrating it into wearable technology, and using it as a tool to measure and optimize cognitive and motor flexibility. His vision extends beyond academic labs or clinical trials—he imagines a world where individuals can interact with, understand, and enhance their own neuroplasticity. “Computational neuroscience doesn’t have to be confined to academia,” he says. “It can become part of everyday life, helping people reach their potential in real time.”
As Rhodes reflects on his journey from saliva assays to algorithm development, one theme emerges clearly: the intersection of curiosity, creativity, and discipline drives meaningful innovation. From humble experiments in coding and lab workflow to pioneering tools that bridge computation and human biology, his work exemplifies the kind of thinking that pushes science forward while remaining deeply human.
“Every step of the way, I’ve learned that curiosity and creativity aren’t luxuries—they’re necessities,” he says. “The most exciting breakthroughs happen when you combine insight, imagination, and precision.”
Bryson Rhodes’ story is a testament to the power of interdisciplinary thinking, mentorship, and relentless experimentation. It’s a journey from the chaos of a pandemic lab to the forefront of computational neuroscience—a journey that proves that with curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to experiment, even the most complex problems can become opportunities for innovation.
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