Transient micromachined pressure-monitoring implants for chronic brain disorders

Descripción del proyecto

La prevención oportuna por micromecanizado salva encéfalos

Millones de personas padecen encefalopatías crónicas a consecuencia de enfermedades como accidentes cerebrovasculares, traumatismos y trastornos degenerativos. El tratamiento cuesta cientos de miles de millones de euros, sobre todo debido a la imposibilidad de actuar a tiempo y prevenir una mayor degeneración del encéfalo. Así, se necesitan soluciones innovadoras para lograr una supervisión eficaz del encéfalo en pacientes con encefalopatías crónicas. El proyecto BrainWatch, financiado con fondos europeos, tiene como objetivo utilizar las tecnologías de micromecanizado a fin de diseñar, desarrollar y definir los primeros implantes micromecanizados para la monitorización de la presión que permita la comunicación inalámbrica en caso de encefalopatías. El proyecto combinará el micromecanizado con las excelentes propiedades de los materiales biodegradables para lograr una aplicación segura a fin de ofrecer una monitorización muy personalizada y adaptada fuera del recinto hospitalario, con el objetivo de conseguir un tratamiento preventivo.

Objetivo

Millions of people worldwide are living with chronic brain disorder causing direct and indirect cost of 100s of billion euros for health budgets. Majority of this cost incurs during the treatment and can be eliminated by developing tools to monitor critical parameters after patients are discharged from hospital settings. Because of the absence of such technology, abnormal changes cannot be detected until the opportunity to prevent further damage to the brain has passed. Recently developments in micromachining and biodegradable materials have revolutionized sensor and drug delivery/stent industry. Advances in micromachining can be combined with the unique features of biodegradable materials to realize transient implants that do not pose infection or inflammation risk and does not require an extraction surgery. The objective of this proposal is to design, fabricate and characterize transient micromachined pressure monitoring implants capable of wireless communication for brain disorders. This technology will allow continuous monitoring outside hospital settings and development of personalized and preventative treatments which aligns with the Horizon2020 health goal of providing more effective and timely therapies. Combining biodegradability to micromachined sensors comes with challenges and limitations in design, fabrication and integration, which this proposal aims to overcome with novel approaches. Dr. Levent Beker’s expertise in micromachined and flexible sensor development combined with the expertise of the supervisor and collaborators in nano-patterning, biodegradable materials, wireless communication and neurosurgery will help to accomplish goals of the proposal. This two-year fellowship at Koc University, TR with, a secondment at ETH Zurich, CH, will help Dr. Beker to expand his scientific skill sets, develop research management skills to become an independent researcher while effectively transferring experience to host institutions.