Research Topics | Bioelectronics at MIT

Area I: Magnetic manipulation and recording of neuronal signaling with nanomaterials

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Magnetic fields can penetrate deep into the body without being attenuated due to low conductivity and negligible magnetic permeability of the biological matter. By delivering magnetic nanomaterials into biological systems we enable manipulation of a variety of physiological processes with weak magnetic fields. Through a combination of magnetic nanomaterials synthesis and characterization, we create a diversity of magnetic nanotransducers capable of selectively converting distinct magnetic fields into specific signals perceived by receptors in neurons. To date, we have developed nanotransducers that undergo heating (Science 2015) in rapidly alternating magnetic fields to trigger heat-sensitive ion channels as well as nanotransducers that exert a physical torque (ACS Nano 2019) stimulating mechanosensitive ion channels. By coupling heating to thermosensitive reactions, we have demonstrated nanotransducers that can deliver ions (Nano Lett. 2020) and pharmacological compounds (Nat. Nanotechnol. 2019) to target chemoreceptors. We have applied our nanotransducers to wirelessly and minimally-invasively manipulate neuronal activity, hormonal release (Sci. Adv. 2020), and behavior (Nat. Comm. 2021) under physiological and pathological conditions. Our current work continues to explore fundamental properties of magnetic nanomaterials with the goal of expanding the array of available magnetic modalities for neuromodulation. We are additionally interested in delivery and visualization of our materials within specific organs and specific cell types.

Area II: Multifunctional interfaces with central and peripheral nervous systems

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

To understand the signaling complexity in neural circuits, while matching the mechanical and chemical properties of tissues and organs, we design miniature, soft, and flexible multifunctional devices capable of electrical, optical, and chemical interrogation of neuronal activity. Devices capable of interfacing with organs as diverse as the brain, spinal cord, and the gastrointestinal tract, demand versatility in materials, designs, and fabrication approaches to adapt to the target organ anatomy and physiology. We combine scalable fiber drawing with additive/subtractive manufacturing and traditional lithographic techniques to seamlessly integrate polymers, metals, composites, and solid-state microelectronics into multifunctional probes with microscale features. Our fiber-based probes have enabled optogenetics, electrophysiology, and drug and gene delivery in the brain (Nat. Biotech.) and spinal cord (Sci. Adv.) of behaving rodents (Nat. Neurosci.) and have recently permitted multifunctional interrogation of neuronal signaling (Sci. ADv.) in non-human primates performing complex tasks. More recently, we have created wireless probes that enabled optical neuromodulation and physiological recordings across gut and the brain, allowing for long-term studies of gut-brain circuits in behaving subjects (Nat. Biotech.). Our current work seeks to expand the palette of functional features in diverse device architectures to advance the basic understanding of brain-body neural circuits as well as develop bioelectronic therapies for neurobiological disorders.

Area III: Contributions of peripheral organ signaling to brain function and behavior

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Neurological (e.g. Parkinson’s) and psychiatric conditions (e.g. mood disorders, social deficits) are often accompanied with comorbidities in the peripheral organ function suggesting a link between the neuronal and endocrine signaling in the periphery and brain dynamics and behavior. We apply our magnetic approaches and multifunctional devices to uncover the enigmatic brain-body circuits that underly the peripheral influences on high-level functions such as reward, affect, or decision making. For instance, using our microelectronic fibers deployed in the duodenum, we found that optically stimulating vagal afferents in the gut is sufficient to impart a reward phenotype (Nat. Biotech.) previously attributed to dopamine neuron signaling in the brain. Our current projects leverage the neurotechnologies developed in our group in fundamental studies of organ-brain interoception under physiological conditions and in models of Parkinson’s disease, Autism, and affective disorders.