Innovative material helps advance the development of neural electronic devices
Over 165 million Europeans live with some form of brain disorder, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, epilepsy, depression, stroke and chronic migraines. According to the European Commission(opens in new window), one in three people will suffer from a neurological or psychiatric disorder at some point in their lives. Although many of these disorders still lack a cure, the way we diagnose and treat them has advanced considerably. At the forefront of this effort is the use of neural electronics, medical devices implanted into the brain to record and stimulate brain activity. “The problem with neural electronics is that they are very invasive and cause the surrounding tissue to become inflamed,” says Alexandra Rutz, project coordinator of the EU-funded BRAIN CAMO project. “This in turn causes the device to breakdown or fail to meet its intended purpose.” At the University of Cambridge(opens in new window), Rutz worked to remedy this shortcoming, supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme(opens in new window). Her solution: an innovative material that could serve as an effective barrier between the implanted device and the surrounding tissue.
Potential in a slippery material
Rutz’s research focused on the use of immobilised liquid coatings. “We found that this material helps reduce the trauma caused when these devices are inserted into the tissue,” she explains. “This is an important finding, as reduced surgical trauma may help improve patient outcomes and reduce the risk of post-surgical complications.” Having demonstrated the material’s effectiveness, Rutz applied it to existing devices. However, this proved challenging. “Because the material is slippery, it slides right off the device when inserted into the tissue,” she notes. “We ended up using an adhesion promoter to bind the coating to the device, which gave us the stability needed to successfully insert it.” Rutz’s research has helped advance the development of new neural electronics designed to minimise tissue trauma. “This work shows that surface properties are yet another material characteristic that needs to be taken into consideration when designing next-generation, biocompatible implantable devices,” she adds.
Making global connections
In addition to its important scientific findings, the project also helped advance Rutz’s career. As an American citizen, the Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship gave her the unique opportunity to pursue her research in the EU. “The chance to live and work abroad has been a tremendous learning experience,” remarks Rutz. “I’m particularly grateful for the opportunity to learn how science is done in other parts of the world and to meet and work with the many great scientists that the EU attracts.” Rutz is now in the process of starting her own independent lab at Washington University(opens in new window) in St Louis, United States, where she will both continue her research and serve as an assistant professor of biomedical engineering. “The BRAIN CAMO project changed my outlook on life, both personally and professionally,” she concludes. “Although I have moved back to the United States, I hope the connections I made with European scientists are something that lives on throughout my career.”
