Understanding Fundamental Mechanisms that Underlie Nano-Neuro Interactions

了解纳米神经相互作用的基本机制

• 批准号: 2331330
• 负责人: Srikanth Singamaneni
• 金额: $ 57.07万
• 依托单位: Washington University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2024-01-01 至 2026-12-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2331330&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Understanding; Fundamental; Mechanisms; Underlie; Nano

Nanoparticles exhibit unique physical and chemical properties that are distinct from their bulk counterparts. Because of their tiny size and unique properties, nanoparticles have unique advantages as devices that can both sense and stimulate nerve cells (neurons). These unique properties can also be harnessed to develop new technologies that will help us in understanding how the brain works and in overcoming brain-related conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy. Furthermore, nanomaterials are increasingly becoming common in everyday life. Although our body's defense system filters out many foreign substances, studies indicate that nanoparticles can still enter the central nervous system through various pathways. How these tiny particles interact with nerve cells is not well understood; this is a big obstacle to using them widely for recording and stimulating neurons and assessing their impact on the central nervous system. This project has two main goals: (1) to understand how and why certain nanoparticles naturally bind to neurons as they grow and mature; and (2) to determine how this binding affects the electrical properties and activity of neurons. Understanding these interactions could lead to better-designed nanoparticles for studying the brain and new, less invasive technologies for treating nerve-related disorders. This project is an important step in filling in our knowledge gaps and could have a big impact on society by helping us deal with serious nerve-related conditions. The PIs will continue their ongoing successful recruitment and training of graduate and undergraduate students from underrepresented groups in STEM fields and will develop a Nano-Neuro Summer School program aimed at middle school students, targeting those from groups underrepresented in STEM.Owing to their optimal dimensions and unique biophysicochemical properties, nanoparticles offer distinct advantages as neural sensors and stimulators. However, the lack of understanding of the basic mechanisms of nano-neuro interactions remains a critical bottleneck in the widespread use of functional nanostructures for recording and stimulating neurons. The primary objective of this project is two-fold: (i) to understand the mechanistic aspects of spontaneous and maturation-dependent binding of nanoparticles to neurons; and (ii) to determine the effect of nanoparticle binding on the electrophysiological properties and electrical activity of neurons. To achieve these goals, the PIs will: (1) investigate the effect of the magnitude of the nanoparticle charge on the maturation-dependent binding of nanoparticles to neurons; (2) explore the effect of the electrophysiological properties and electrical activity of neurons on nanoparticle binding; and (3) elucidate the effect of nanoparticle binding on the excitability of neurons. Successful completion of this project will advance scientific understanding of the nano-neuro interactions and can have a transformative impact on the design and synthesis of nanomaterials for neuroscience and minimally-invasive technologies for treating neuronal disorders. This project can have an important long-term societal benefit in overcoming the burden associated with these devastating neuropathological conditions. The PIs will continue their ongoing successful recruitment and training of graduate and undergraduate students from underrepresented groups in STEM fields and will develop a Nano-Neuro Summer School program aimed at middle school students, targeting those from groups underrepresented in STEM.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.

纳米颗粒具有独特的物理和化学特性，这些特性不同于其大体。由于其尺寸很小和独特的特性，纳米颗粒具有独特的优势，作为可以感知和刺激神经细胞（神经元）的设备。这些独特的特性也可以利用开发新技术，这些技术将有助于我们了解大脑的工作原理以及克服与大脑有关的疾病，例如帕金森氏病和癫痫。此外，纳米材料在日常生活中越来越普遍。尽管我们人体的防御系统会滤除许多异物，但研究表明，纳米颗粒仍然可以通过各种途径进入中枢神经系统。这些微小的颗粒与神经细胞的相互作用尚未得到充分了解。这是广泛使用它们来记录和刺激神经元并评估其对中枢神经系统的影响的大障碍。该项目有两个主要目标：（1）了解某些纳米颗粒在生长和成熟时如何自然与神经元结合； （2）确定这种结合如何影响神经元的电特性和活性。了解这些相互作用可能会导致精心设计的纳米颗粒，以研究大脑和新的，侵入性较小的技术来治疗与神经有关的疾病。该项目是填补我们的知识差距的重要一步，可以通过帮助我们应对严重的神经相关条件来对社会产生重大影响。 The PIs will continue their ongoing successful recruitment and training of graduate and undergraduate students from underrepresented groups in STEM fields and will develop a Nano-Neuro Summer School program aimed at middle school students, targeting those from groups underrepresented in STEM.Owing to their optimal dimensions and unique biophysicochemical properties, nanoparticles offer distinct Advantages as neurosensors and stimulators.但是，缺乏对纳米 - 尼罗相互作用的基本机制的理解仍然是在功能纳米结构记录和刺激神经元的宽度上的关键瓶颈。该项目的主要目的是：（i）了解纳米颗粒与神经元的赞助子和成熟依赖性结合的机械方面； （ii）确定纳米颗粒结合对电生理特性和神经元电活动的影响。为了实现这些目标，PI将：（1）研究纳米颗粒电荷对纳米颗粒与神经元成熟依赖性结合的影响； （2）探索电生理特性和神经元对纳米颗粒结合的影响； （3）阐明纳米颗粒结合对神经元刺激的影响。该项目的成功完成将进步对纳米 - 尼罗相互作用的科学理解，并可以对神经科学的纳米材料的设计和合成产生变革性的影响，用于治疗神经元疾病的神经科学和微创技术。该项目可以在克服与这些毁灭性神经病理学条件相关的燃烧方面具有重要的长期社会利益。 The PIs will continue their ongoing successful recruitment and training of graduate and undergraduate students from underrepresented groups in STEM fields and will develop a Nano-Neuro Summer School program aimed at middle school students, targeting those from groups underrepresented in STEM.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed precious of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.