Project description
Smart neural implants for the treatment of epilepsy
Understanding neuronal function and communication in the brain is paramount for the design of treatments against neurological disorders such as epilepsy. The recently developed method of optogenetics has paved the way for the modulation of neuronal using light. However, technical challenges still prohibit the exploitation of the technique in clinical trials for brain disease. The EU-funded WiseCure project aims to develop neural implants made of flexible biocompatible polymers that can be used to treat epilepsy with optogenetics. The approach will provide the capacity to wirelessly monitor and control the neural activities through the implants, offering a smart healthcare solution for the treatment of epilepsy.
Objective
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.
Fields of science
- 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
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinator
G12 8QQ Glasgow
United Kingdom