Enabling the Design of Advanced Hybrid Bio-Nanonetworks

我们在纳米技术(Nantech)方面的研究涉及纳米设备的通信和网络形成需求。虽然这项技术是新的，但对智能纳米技术的发展至关重要，并将影响几个领域，例如体内诊断、非侵入性纳米外科、制药学、神经退行性疾病(如阿尔茨海默氏症、帕金森氏症)和精神疾病(如精神分裂症、自闭症、多动症)的治疗、芯片网络设计和制造方法。这项技术沿着两个方向发展：(I)干法纳米技术：纳米设备是用无机材料制造的，例如硅、石墨烯。(Ii)湿法纳米技术：它使用有机材料和纳米机器，如生物细胞、蛋白质、酶、细菌、病毒、DNA和RNA大分子、离子粒子等。一些应用将需要这两个类别的纳米机器，例如用于诊断的生物化学物质的体内监测、智能药物的输送。还需要制造由这两种类型组成的纳米机器：混合型纳米机器。在共存的情况下，了解一种类型将如何影响另一种类型是很重要的。在体内通信中考虑使用太赫兹波(THzW)频率(0.1太赫兹到10太赫兹)。它们是非电离的，因此不会引起DNA修饰。此外，它们的通信组件，例如天线、调制器，可以是纳米级大小。然而，目前还没有深入的研究来评估体内THzW传递对分子通讯(MC)的影响。扩散MC(DMC)对介质分子的熵能级很敏感。THZW传输增加了分子的振动水平，正如我们最初的工作所证实的那样，这对DMC产生了负面影响。在这个项目中，我们将建立对这种行为的透彻理解，并开发准确的扩散渠道模型。开发混合纳米机器的设计指南，例如组合式生物传感器-THzW发射器。开发在这种环境中表现良好的新的MC系统和协议，并建议我们如何建设性地使用介质的观察到的行为来改进应用(例如，靶向药物输送)。我们工作的第二部分涉及光遗传学(OGN)。作为神经科学领域的一个新兴领域，OGN通过基因植入特殊的光敏跨膜蛋白(Opsins)来改变对光神经元的不敏感。有建议使用OGN治疗与大脑相关的疾病。我们在这个项目中的OGN相关工作将开发工具来确定刺激OGN神经元产生尽可能接近目标激发序列的激发序列的最佳方式。开发能够实现神经间刺激(取代基于神经递质的刺激)的OGN纳米机器；开发通过全OGN纳米神经元网络有效地移动神经元棘波训练的架构和协议。

Our research in nanotechnology (nanotech) deals with the communication and network formation needs of nanodevices. While new, the technology is critical to the development of intelligent nanotech and will impact several areas, e.g. in-vivo diagnostics, non-invasive nanosurgery, pharmaceutics, treatment of neurodegenerative diseases (e.g. Alzheimer's, Parkinson's) and mental disorders (e.g. Schizophrenia, ASD, ADHD), network-on-chip design and fabrication methods. The technology has evolved along two directions: (i) Dry nanotech: nanodevices are manufactured with inorganic materials, e.g. silicon, graphene. (ii) Wet nanotech: it uses organic materials & nanomachines, e.g. biological cells, proteins, enzymes, bacteria, viruses, DNA and RNA macromolecules, ion particles, etc. Each has its advantages & disadvantages. Several applications would require nanomachines from both categories, e.g. in-vivo monitoring of bio-chemical substances for diagnosis, delivery of smart drugs. There will also be need to manufacture nanomachines consisting of both types; hybrid nanomachines. In case of co-existence, it is important to understand how one type will affect the other. Use of THz Wave (THzW) frequencies (0.1 THz to 10 THz) is considered in intra-body communications. They are non-ionizing, thus should not cause DNA modifications. Also their communication components, e.g. antennas, modulators, can be of nanoscale size. However, there is no thorough study assessing the impact, in-vivo THzW transmissions have, on molecular communications (MC). Diffusion MC (DMC) are sensitive to the entropy level molecules of the medium have. THzW transmissions increase the vibration level of molecules, which, as our initial work confirmed, impacts negatively DMC. In this project, we will establish thorough understanding of this behaviour and develop accurate models of the diffusion channel. Develop design guidelines for hybrid nanomachines, e.g. combined biosensor-THzW transmitter. Develop new MC systems and protocols that perform well in this environment, and propose how we can use the medium's observed behaviour constructively to improve applications (e.g. target drug delivery). The second part of our work deals with Optogenetics (OGN). An emerging fields in neuroscience, OGN modifies otherwise insensitive to light neurons by genetically implanting specialized light-sensitive transmembrane proteins (opsins). There are proposals to use OGN for treatment of brain related disorders. Our OGN related work in this project will develop tools to determine the best way to stimulate an OGN neuron to generate firing sequence as close as possible to a target firing sequence. Develop OGN nanomachines that will enable inter-neural stimulation (replacing neurotransmitter-based stimulation); develop architectures and protocols to effectively move neuronal spike trains through all-OGN nanoneuronal networks.