Project description
Solving the mysteries of the gut-brain connection
Understanding the intricate connection between bodily signals and overall well-being has long been a challenge in both medical and scientific communities. While research has highlighted the significance of gastrointestinal (GI) functions in physical and mental health, the tools to comprehensively explore this link have been lacking. Existing ingestible devices fail to provide the necessary precision and depth needed to unravel the complexities of GI physiology and its impact on human and animal well-being. In this context, the ERC-funded DeepDive project emerges as a pioneering effort aimed at revolutionising our understanding of GI functions through innovative ingestible technology.
Objective
Expanding on the eHONESTY ERC project about the link between body and moral decisions, the DeepDive PoC proposal aims to explore the neglected role of deep-body signals in modulating physical/mental health in humans and animals through the radically new approach of using ingestibles for mapping gastrointestinal (GI) physiology. Crucially, although the market of ingestible devices is burgeoning, none of the existing products has the features needed for probing the link between GI dys/functions and physical/mental well-being in humans and animals. To fill this outstanding gap, the DeepDive project aims to develop and test a class of ingestibles that can capture from different tracts of the GI system (e.g. stomach, small/large intestine), physiological signals like endoluminal pH, pressure, and temperature with unprecedented accuracy and precision; and, remarkably, add causation to correlation by recording the GI neurons' activity before and after their electrical perturbation. The inert capsules will be produced by: i) assembling specific components created using 3D printing and ii) integrating a number of microscopic components ranging from solid state pH, temperature, and pressure sensors to A/DD/A Microconverter and RF Radio 2.4 GHz, in a sub-centimetric space. GI functions at rest and in conditions of social stress will be tested in piglets using the new ingestible and in humans using commercial pills. All the steps towards patenting and obtaining permission for use in humans of the novel ingestible will be taken, and existing contacts with industrial partners and biomedical devices approval offices will be strengthened. Given the link of gastroenterology with physical/mental dys/functions and human/animal well-being, the project will have significant benefits at neuroscientific, medical, and societal levels. Moreover, since the global market of ingestible sensors is expected to exceed $14 billions by 2026, DeepDive will likely have key economic implications.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensors
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinephysiology
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicinegastroenterology
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Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept GrantsHost institution
00185 Roma
Italy