Light-induced liquid flow control for biomimetic retinal implants and therapies

摘要：视网膜假体是一种神经假体，是修复或治疗神经系统受损感觉元件的植入过程。众所周知，神经细胞中复杂的信息传递主要通过生化反应进行。基于神经递质的化学刺激是一个相对较新的概念，并已显示出其模拟神经信息处理的潜力。然而，目前的大多数努力依赖于有限的细胞数量及其反应，因为缺乏适当的方法来研究大型细胞群体。视网膜中的神经细胞排列特别是高度排列的结构。因此，它们的神经活动与周围的细胞相互联系。为了更好地理解大规模神经信号处理和开发临床适用的神经假体，以高空间分辨率模拟大阵列结构中释放神经递质的突触功能是重要的。拟议的研究工作将为这一关键需求提供解决方案，并开发光诱导液体流动控制，特别是针对大规模化学刺激。除了技术影响，拟议计划的更广泛影响将是为未来科学界教育和培训新一代劳动力。纽约城市学院处于有利地位，可以吸引占主导地位的代表不足的少数族裔。该项目将把研究活动整合到当前的课程中，为本科生和研究生提供实践经验和研究机会。拟议的研究活动还将通过实验室演示、参观和高中生暑期实习纳入外展活动。拟议研究计划的总体目标是推进基于大阵列神经递质的化学刺激的科学和技术基础，并将其应用于视网膜假体。该项目将实施一个自供电的三维微流控平台，以解决当前化学刺激方法在应用于高度互联的大型阵列神经刺激时的根本限制。将研究两种控制机制。一种是基于光诱导的电渗效应，另一种是基于使用刺激响应型聚合物的光诱导物理开关阀。该项目的成功完成将大大简化对人口稠密的细胞进行化学刺激的整个系统的复杂性，并开启一种新的化学刺激范例，该范例可潜在地应用于具有高空间分辨率的大面积，而不会限制其可扩展性。由此产生的平台将产生广泛的影响，将当前的化学刺激方法从台式实验室环境转变为实用的神经假体和疗法。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Abstract: Retinal prosthesis is a type of neural prosthesis, which is an implant process to restore or treat damaged sensory elements in the neural system. It is well known that complex information transfer in neural cells is primarily through biochemical reactions. Neurotransmitter-based chemical stimulation is a relatively new concept and has demonstrated its potential to mimic neural information processing. However, most of the current efforts rely on limited cell numbers and their responses because of the lack of appropriate methods to investigate large cell populations. Neural cell arrangement in the retina is especially in a highly arrayed configuration. As such, their neural activities are interconnected with surrounding cells. To better understand the large-scale neural signal processing and develop clinically applicable neural prostheses, it is important to mimic the synaptic functionality of releasing neurotransmitters in a large, arrayed configuration with high spatial resolution. The proposed research work will provide a solution for this critical need and develop light-induced liquid flow control, especially for large-scale chemical stimulation. In addition to the technical impacts, the broader impact of the proposed program will be the education and training of a new generation of workforces for future scientific community. The City College of New York is well-positioned to attract its dominant underrepresented minorities. The project will integrate the research activities into the current curriculum to provide undergraduate and graduate students with hands-on experience and research opportunities. The proposed research activities will also be integrated into outreach activities through lab demos, tours, and summer internships for high school students. The overall goal of the proposed research program is to advance the scientific and technological foundations for large-arrayed neurotransmitter-based chemical stimulation with application to retinal prosthesis. The project will implement a self-powered, three-dimensional microfluidic platform to address the fundamental limitations of the current chemical stimulation approach when it is applied to highly interconnected, large arrayed neural stimulation. Two control mechanisms will be studied. One is based on light-induced electroosmotic effect, and the other is based on light-induced physical on-off valves using stimulus-responsive polymers. The successful completion of this project will significantly simplify overall system complexities for chemically stimulating densely populated cells and initiate a new paradigm of chemical stimulation that can be potentially applied to large-area, with high spatial resolution, without limiting its scalability. The resulting platform will have broad impacts of translating the current chemical stimulation approach from a bench-top laboratory setting to practical neural prostheses and therapies.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.