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Bioelectronics Group
Principal Investigator: Polina Anikeeva
Post Doctoral Students: Xiaoting Jia
Graduate Students: Ritchie Chen, Andres Canales, Michael Christiansen, Alice Lu
In the Bioelectronics Group, we envision integration of biology and electronics with devices
that incorporate biologically inspired components and technologies that seamlessly interface
biological and electronic systems. We are currently focused on developing methods to
manipulate nerve cells. The available toolkit for neural stimulation in neurological therapy and
research is hindered by poor spatial resolution and is often highly invasive. By exploring novel
methods of neural stimulation, we hope to realize improvement in targeted and noninvasive
stimulation.
Current group members
Minimally Invasive Neural Stimulation
Multi-scale
Bioengineering
and
Biophysics
Deep brain electrode stimulation, a cumbersome treatment
for Parkinson’s disease
Flexible High Resolution Neural Recording Arrays
We are developing minimally inavsive procedures for deep brain stimulation
by coupling radiofrequency electromagnetic waves with nanoantennae
interfaced with the neuronal cell membrane. Because of its weak interaction
with biological molecules and deep tissue penetration, magnetic fields promise
to be a truely remote way to control cellular signaling in vivo.
Thousands of electrodes in a single fiber provide 1 neuron/electrode resolution.
32-electrode rectangular fiber-array
4-electrode retangular fiber cross-section
100 µm
25 meters of 32-electrode rectangular fiber
30 µm
15 cm
36-electrode fiber array
1-electrode cylindrical fiber preform
Thermal drawing process
produces infinitely long
electrode arrays.
Schematic for activation of heat sensitive calcium ion channels through
conversion of EM field into localized heat
50 µm
5.7 µm
20 cm
Electrode tip shape and surface functionalization produce intimate neuron-electrode interfase.
Optoelectronic Neural Scaffolds
50 nm
50 nm
MnFe2O4
CoFe2O4
50 nm
CoFe2O4@MnFe2O4
CPC
General route for synthesis of monodisperse magnetic nanoparticles that is
biocompatible and can attach directly onto the plasma membrane
Fibers provide a scaffold for neuron growth, and simultaneous
optical stimulation and electrical measurements when combined
with optogenetics.
- Neurons are
PEI
cultured inside
polymer fibers.
- Long processes
100 µm
are developed
along the fiber
60 um
inner wall.
- Neurons inside fibers are
transfected to become
fluorescent.
- Neurons are in contact
with electrodes on the
inner wall.
soma
200
200
100
100
0
0
-100
-100
current [pA]
RF to heat conversion is measured as specific loss power and depends
strongly on size and magnetic anisotropy of the material. We can tune the
magnetic properties of our nanoparticles and stiumlate these nanoantennae
with our custom magnetic heating and imaging set up. A genetic toolkit is
developed concurrently to enable communication of the electronics with the
cells.
current [pA]
60 um
-200
-300
-200
-300
-400
-400
-500
-500
-600
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
time [s]
0.4
0.5
- A series of action
-600
-0.4
-0.2
0.0
0.2
0.4
time [ms]
0.6
0.8
1.0
potentials are
measured from
neurons inside the
fibers with electrodes.