Descripción del proyecto
Implantes neuronales inteligentes para el tratamiento de la epilepsia
Comprender el funcionamiento y la comunicación neuronal en el encéfalo es fundamental en el diseño de tratamientos para trastornos neurológicos como la epilepsia. La optogenética, un método desarrollado recientemente, ha allanado el camino para la modulación de la actividad neuronal empleando la luz. Con todo, escollos técnicos aún impiden sacar partido a esta técnica en ensayos clínicos para encefalopatías. El objetivo del proyecto financiado con fondos europeos WiseCure es desarrollar implantes neuronales fabricados con polímeros biocompatibles flexibles que puedan emplearse para tratar la epilepsia con la optogenética. El método ofrecerá la capacidad de supervisar y controlar de forma inalámbrica la actividad neuronal a través de los implantes, lo que proporcionará una tecnología inteligente de atención sanitaria para el tratamiento de la epilepsia.
Objetivo
This WiseCure Fellowship aims to bring novel wireless, scalable, MRI-compatible, and bio-integrated neural implants for optogenetics to treat epilepsy. Neurological diseases such as epilepsy is a life-threatening progressive disorder causing uncontrolled activity of the brain (seizure). The ability to decipher brain functions and understand the neuronal communication networking properties to develop innovative solutions to treat neurological diseases remains one of the biggest challenges to date. A recent approach to study the brain is optogenetics. Optogenetics is a neural modulation technique which utilizes light to stimulate genetically engineered neurons, providing a better option for controlling the cells compared to conventional electrical stimulation. Scientists pursuing optogenetic therapies still face some technical challenges (e.g. size and multifunctional capability, biointegration, wireless capability, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) compatibility) that keeping optogenetics from clinical trials for brain diseases. I will combine the innovative wireless power transfer (WPT) approaches with ultrathin, soft and flexible biocompatible polymeric platforms to fabricate and characterize neural implants that are small enough to promote scalability, chronic reliability, and MRI compatibility. By associating the ability to wirelessly monitor (e.g. neural activities) and control (stimulation or inhibition) through these neural implants using a smartphone establishes a novel approach for versatile optogenetics to treat epilepsy. This Fellowship will act as a platform to realize my futuristic vision by integrating the wireless optogenetics system into smart healthcare using mobile and electronic technology for better diagnosis of the brain diseases, improved treatment of the patients, and enhanced quality of lives.
Ámbito científico
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicineneurologyepilepsy
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringinformation engineeringtelecommunicationsmobile phones
- engineering and technologymedical engineeringdiagnostic imagingmagnetic resonance imaging
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringinformation engineeringtelecommunicationsradio technology
- medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologyimplants
Palabras clave
Programa(s)
Régimen de financiación
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinador
G12 8QQ Glasgow
Reino Unido