NeurOLED · Organic Light-Emitting Diodes for Optogenetic Control of Neurons
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2016-03-01 → 2018-07-18
- EU contribution
- €195,455
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF-EF-ST
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Organic Light-Emitting Diodes for Optogenetic Control of Neurons
Optogenetics is an emerging technique in neuroscience that allows controlling cells with light. One of the main limitations so far is the low spatial resolution of the available light sources which prevents specific optical targeting of individual cells or groups of cells. Furthermore, the rigidity of the traditional light sources is hardly compatible with soft biological tissue. The NeurOLED project aimed at developing a new light source for optogenetics based on organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). OLEDs are based on extremely thin layers of organic compounds, can be structured to high-density arrays and may be fabricated on flexible plastic foils. Thus, they can overcome limitations of existing light sources and enable high-resolution optogenetic stimulation of cells over both small and large areas. Due to the high brightness requirements for optogenetics, the harsh aqueous environment, and the need for small pixel arrays – all of which are not standard for OLEDs –, a large part of the project looked at adapting OLED technology for this new application. To demonstrate the usability of OLEDs in optogenetics, neurons were stimulated both in vitro and in vivo. This project has been highly interdisciplinary, located at the interface of physics, materials science, biophotonics and neuroscience, and successfully established OLEDs as new light source in different environments for optogenetics. This gives neuroscientists a new tool to better understand the brain and allows a more in depth research of neurological diseases.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Optogenetics is an emerging new method in biology for the non-invasive control of neuronal behaviour with light. NeurOLED will develop and validate a novel, biocompatible light source that provides unprecedented high-resolution, real-time optogenetic control of neurons. At the heart of the new devices are organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) that are brought into direct contact with neuronal cells. Using microscopic patterning, we will create dense arrays of OLEDs that can stimulate the firing of individual live neurons. Initial proof-of-principle experiments will use the new OLED light source to study neuronal networks in vitro. To fully exploit the potential of OLEDs in optogenetics, neuronal networks will ultimately be investigated in vivo. We will examine the neuronal network that is responsible for locomotion in the model organism Drosophila melanogaster. To maximize spatial resolution in vivo, the light penetration depth in tissue will be optimized by systematic optical design of the spectral and angular emission characteristics of the OLEDs. Furthermore, stacked multi-colour OLEDs will be used to achieve both activation and deactivation of single neurons at very high speed and precision. Atomic layer deposition will be used as an innovative thin-film encapsulation technology to develop OLEDs that can withstand aqueous environments and can thus be brought into direct contact with neurons and biological tissue. Compared to current state-of-the-art optogenetic light sources, OLEDs will significantly advance control of neuronal behaviour thus paving the way to a better understanding of neural networks.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- THE UNIVERSITY COURT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWS · ST ANDREWSCoordinatorUnited Kingdom
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union