STTR Phase I: Neuromodulation by Electromagnetic (EM) Energy-Induced Hypersound

这项小型企业技术转移（STTR）第一阶段项目的广泛影响是提出开发一种阻断人体疼痛的新方法。这项新技术为减轻疼痛提供了一种新颖、微创、低成本、非成瘾性的解决方案。该项目开发了一种应用于皮肤附近或皮肤上的装置，可以明显穿透组织以抑制疼痛。主要市场是缓解背部疼痛，这影响了超过1亿美国人。其他潜在市场包括外周伤口、神经痛、偏头痛、癌症、糖尿病相关神经病和退行性疾病（如类风湿组）的疼痛抑制。这个小企业技术转移一期项目提出了一种新的方法，通过已知的神经竞争性抑制原理，无创地调节选定的神经组织来阻断疼痛。该技术利用电磁能量在细胞介质的介电性质中以一种新颖的电伸缩模式作用，远程唤起超声波以及更高频率的超声力。假设这些诱导力通过众所周知的细胞拉伸激活作用导致生物效应。该项目将进一步开发仪器，以生产独特的微波装置设计，并确定微波变量对神经调节的影响。该研究机构将把开发的仪器应用于大鼠和神经元细胞模型，以确定重要的操作参数，以确保治疗的安全性和有效性。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project proposes to develop a new way to block pain in the human body. This new technology offers the potential for a novel, less invasive, lower cost, non-addicting solution to pain relief. The project develops a device to be applied near or on the skin, significantly penetrating the tissue to inhibit pain. The primary market is to provide relief from back pain, which affects more than 100 M Americans. Other potential markets include pain suppression from peripheral wounds, neuralgias, migraine, cancer, diabetes-related neuropathies, and degenerative diseases, such as the rheumatoid group. This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I Project proposes a new approach to noninvasively modulate selected neural tissues to block pain by known principles of neurological competitive inhibition. The technology employs electromagnetic energy in a novel electrostrictive mode of action within the dielectric nature of cellular media to remotely evoke ultrasound as well as higher frequency hypersound forces in-situ. These induced forces are hypothesized to result in biological effects through the well-known action of cellular stretch activation. This project will further develop instrumentation to produce unique microwave device designs and determine the effects of microwave variables on neuromodulation. The research institution will apply the developed instrumentation on rat and neuronal cell models to define the important operating parameters for ensuring therapeutic safety and efficacy.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.