WiseCure · Wireless, Scalable and Implantable Optogenetics for Neurological Disorders Cure
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2020-09-01 → 2022-10-31
- EU contribution
- €224,934
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Wireless, Scalable and Implantable Optogenetics for Neurological Disorders Cure
Neurological diseases such as epilepsy is a life-threatening progressive disorder causing uncontrolled activity of the brain (seizure); it carries among the highest burden of disease and significant social stigma. To date, epilepsy affects 50 million people worldwide, 8 million of whom live in Europe. In EU, neurological diseases cost €800 Billion annually. The ability to decipher brain functions and understand the neuronal communication networking properties to develop innovative solutions holds the key to treat such neurological diseases. For the first time, this WiseCure Fellowship aims to bring novel wireless, scalable, MRI-compatible, and biointegrated neural implants for optogenetics to treat neurological diseases. The objectives of this Fellowship, which complement each other in terms of research (Obj1-Obj3) and training (Obj4) are given below: Obj1) Develop unique self-tracked WPT system for optogenetics. Obj2) Achieve versatile wireless optogenetics control using neural implants via a smart device for epilepsy. Obj3) Validate MRI-compatible and biointegrated neural implants to enable chronic in vivo optogenetics. Obj4) Advance the career toward becoming a recognized research leader in neural engineering, and act as an ambassador for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA).
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project 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.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW · GlasgowCoordinatorUnited Kingdom
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union