Objective
Epilepsy is a common and debilitating chronic neurological disorder. Furthermore, a large fraction of patients suffers from refractory (drug-resistant) epilepsy. Responsive electrostimulation is a state-of-the-art treatment for refractory epilepsy but is invasive and not cell-type selective. As a result, the surgery is susceptible to complications, e.g. haemorrhage and infection, and overstimulation due to false-positive epilepsy detection can cause brain region overactivity and even induce seizures. In contrast, ultrasound neuromodulation (UNMOD) is a recent, non-invasive and cell-type selective technique, that promises to pave the way for truly inhibitory protocols. The goal of this project is to design and optimize a first-of-its-kind minimally invasive closed-loop UNMOD treatment for refractory epilepsy. Acousto-electric heterodyning will be used to realize remote non-invasive hippocampal neurorecording. Subsequently, a controller will detect seizures and will trigger neuromodulatory insonication with a miniaturized subcutaneously implanted phased array. Moreover, an alternative non-invasive and closed-loop technology will be designed, for testing and patient selection before implantation. The main hurdle towards the realization of this disruptive treatment is our limited understanding of the underlying mechanisms of UNMOD and acoustic neurorecording. I intend to close this knowledge gap by developing an experimentally validated, comprehensive and morphologically-realistic computational framework of the ultrasound-sensitive hippocampal formation. Subsequently, this model will be used to optimize the insonication and recording protocols and to design the transducer and electrode arrays. This project concentrates on focal epilepsy, but the envisioned minimally- to non-invasive, cell-type specific, closed-loop technology with millimeter resolution, has the potential to revolutionize also the treatment of other brain and peripheral nerve disorders.
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. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- medical and health sciences basic medicine neurology epilepsy
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine surgery
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2024-STG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
9000 Gent
Belgium
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.