RR&D Research Career Scientist Award Application

“…摸一摸我妻子的手，“他含着泪水说。这是我们的受试者当时的反应 被问到他想从参加我们的研究中获得什么。他的五个简单的词带来了一个结构性的转变 我的思考，并为我的工作提供了深刻的目标。病人不需要花哨的技术。他们需要 去感受完整。他们需要联系在一起。作为一名神经工程师，我开发的神经接口技术 与人类相连。我还需要另外三个词来表达我的激情和总体目标 弗吉尼亚研究职业科学家：我开发神经接口技术，连接到人类连接人类。 近三十年来，我一直热爱电气工程(英国工商管理学院，1992年，密歇根 技术大学，休顿，密歇根州)和计算算法与大脑的魅力和 神经科学，开发与人类神经系统直接通信的技术(博士。 生物医学工程，1999，凯斯西储大学，克利夫兰，俄亥俄州)。我是世界顶尖的专家之一 在系统的开发和翻译中，精确地将小电流注入神经，以 在神经中引起靶向动作电位。在我职业生涯的早期，我使用这项技术恢复了失去的功能 中风或瘫痪后通过激活肌肉。我仍然积极与退伍军人管理局的其他调查人员合作 (罗纳德·特里奥罗博士、吉勒斯·皮诺博士、博鲁·阿吉博耶博士、艾米莉·格拉奇克博士和罗伯特·基尔希博士) 将神经接口技术应用于脊髓损伤的临床康复方案。十年 然而，在以前，我对技术与大脑交流的能力更感兴趣 通过感觉和自主系统。我的退伍军人管理局活动符合三个方面：1)感知技术 失去肢体的退伍军人；2)对药物无效的退伍军人进行高血压控制， 3)周围神经接口技术的发展。感官技术恢复 上肢丧失肢体后的功能和情感联系(J.Robert博士 安德森、凯文·马龙、凯尔·切普拉和艾米丽·格拉奇克)和Low Expert(与Ronald Triolo博士一起， Gilles Pinault和Hamid Chakhkar)。我在克利夫兰退伍军人医疗中心的实验室是世界上第一个 长期植入外周接口，用于肢体丧失后的感觉恢复。八 受试者包括四名上肢患者和四名失去肢体的患者，他们已经被植入。超过了 在过去的四年里，我领导了一个由退伍军人管理局和国防先进研究项目资助的项目 该机构将开发一种完全可植入的蓝牙连接系统，用于在 以及外部假体和植入物接口。我的团队已经获得了所有必要的监管批准 启动全球首个神经连接先进假体的随机临床试验(RCT)。超过了 在接下来的四年里，这项研究将完成将该技术推广到以下领域的关键一步 所有失去肢体的退伍军人。降压：应用神经接口技术调节心脏功能 复杂的血压调节。在对药物治疗不敏感的个体中， 我们通过激活颈动脉窦神经(CSN或Herring‘s)的压力反射来控制高血压 (与乔纳森·巴斯金博士、吉勒斯·皮诺博士和伊丽莎白·希尔德博士)这项工作是与一个 商业合作伙伴，在未来五年内迅速推进退伍军人的技术惠及。前进 接口：为了继续提高神经接口的临床能力，技术进步包括 不断地被需要。我继续进行下一代周围神经的临床前开发和翻译 技术这包括增加每个电极上的通道数量和分布 整个神经都有接触。这包括与克利夫兰的MEMS制造专家合作 VA(道格拉斯·夏尔博士)和劳伦斯·利弗莫尔国家实验室(拉齐·哈克博士)共同开发高密度 精细和束间神经电极、植入技术和高密度串联连接器。

“… to feel my wife’s hand,” he said with tears in his eyes. This was our subject’s response when he was asked what he wanted to get from participating in our study. His five simple words brought a tectonic shift in my thinking and provided the deep purpose to my work. Patient’s do not need fancy technology. They need to feel whole. They need to be connected. As a neural engineer, I develop neural interface technology that connects to humans. Three additional words are needed to capture my passion and over-arching goal as a VA Research Career Scientist: I develop nerve interface technology that connects to humans to connect humans. For nearly thirty years, I have combined a love for electrical engineering (B.S.E.E., 1992, Michigan Technological Univ, Houghton, MI) and computation algorithms with fascination of the brain and neuroscience to develop technology for communicating directly with the human nervous system (Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering, 1999, Case Western Reserve Univ, Cleveland, OH). I am one of the world’s top experts in development and translation of systems to precisely apply small electrical current injections to nerves to cause targeted action potentials in nerves. Early in my career, I used this technology to restore lost function following stroke or paralysis by activating muscles. I still actively collaborate with other VA investigators (Drs. Ronald Triolo, Gilles Pinault, Bolu Ajiboye, Emily Graczyk, and Robert Kirsch) in a supporting role to implement neural interface technology in clinical rehabilitation programs for spinal cord injury. A decade ago, however, I became much more interested in the power of the technology to communicate to the brain through sensory and autonomic systems. My VA activity fits into three area: 1) sensory technology for veterans with limb loss; 2) hypertension control in veterans that have not been responsive to medications, and 3) development of advances in peripheral nerve interface technology. Sensory Technology restores both functional and emotional connection following limb loss of the upper extremity (with Drs. J. Robert Anderson, Kevin Malone, Kyle Chepla, and Emily Graczyk) and lower extremity (with Drs. Ronald Triolo, Gilles Pinault, and Hamid Chakhkar). My lab in the Cleveland VA Medical Center is the first in the world to have a long-term implant of a peripheral interfaces for sensory restoration following limb loss. Eight subjects, four with upper extremity and four with lower extremity limb loss, have been implanted. Over the past four years, I have led a program funded by both the VA and the Defense Advance Research Projects Agency to develop a fully implantable, Bluetooth®-connected system for bi-directional connection between and external prosthesis and implanted interfaces. My team has secured all necessary regulatory approvals to start the world’s first randomized clinical trial (RCT) of neural-connected advanced prostheses. Over the next four years, this study will complete a critical step in moving the technology to general availability for all veterans with limb loss. Hyptertension: Neural interface technology is applied to modulate function of complex regulation of blood pressure. In individuals that are unresponsive to pharmaceutical approaches, we control hypertension through the baroreflex via activation of the carotid sinus nerve (CSN or Herring’s nerve) (with Drs. Jonathan Baskin, Gilles Pinault, and Elizabeth Heald). The work is in collaboration with a commercial partner to rapidly advance the technology benefit veterans within the next five years. Advancing Interfaces: To continue advancing the clinical capabilities of neural interfaces, advances in technology are continually needed. I continue pre-clinical development and translation of next generation of peripheral nerve technology. This includes increasing the number of channels on each electrode and the distribution of the contact throughout the nerve. This includes collaboration with MEMS fabrication specialist in the Cleveland VA (Dr. Douglas Shire) and Lawrence Livermore National Lab (Dr. Razi Haque) to develop high-density FINE and interfascicular nerve electrodes, implantation techniques, and high-density inline connectors.