The objective of this research is to fully realize biocompatible magnetic microsystems that permit seamless interfacing with nervous systems for studying and treating neural injuries and/or diseases. The approach is to integrate microcoil arrays and control microelectronics on a single platform for bi-directional and multi-site electromagnetic neural communication, utilizing flexible and biocompatible polymers as main structural and packaging materials to minimize bioreactivity and biofouling.
Intellectual Merit: Invention of new biomedical implants capable of monitoring and manipulating localized bio-electromagnetic fields will help reveal unknown cause-effect relationships between electrical and magnetic signals in biological systems. The developed polymer-based microfabrication and integration technologies can be broadly applicable to other bioimplants. In-depth understanding of neural responses to localized magnetic fields will lay the foundation for new neural-machine-interfaces in neurophysiology and clinical neurology, and ultimately neural implants that provide bi-directional electromagnetic guidance cues to enable neural circuit re-growth and lost neural function restoration.
Broader Impacts: The proposed research will create valuable tools to advance neuroscience and lead to new neural prostheses and therapies. Direct benefits to the society include the reduction of national healthcare cost and life quality improvement for patients suffering neural injuries and diseases. This work will offer multidisciplinary research experiences for undergraduate and graduate students, promote university curriculum development, and assist in supporting and retaining female and minority students through early exposure to science and engineering. Integrated outreach programs combining open-lab tours, summer camps, and teacher training will effectively convert state-of-art science into educational resources accessible to local K-12 schools and communities.
