Originally Published EMDM January 2006
Industry News
Neuroelectronics Lab to Study Alzheimer’s Disease
A recently formed lab will study diseases such as Alzheimer’s by prompting neurons to network with silicon chips. To accomplish this, the Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (Leuven, Belgium) has brought together experts in medicine, molecular and cell biology, microelectronic engineering, and physical science by partnering with the Flanders Interuniversity Institute of Biotechnology (Gent, Belgium) and the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. Its staff will examine how the convergence of micro- and nanotechnologies, molecular and cellular biology, and medicine can be used in medical and industrial applications.
The group’s initial focus is to develop patterned neuronal networks on the surfaces of microchips to study neuronal communication. Suitable for in vitro applications, the systems use transducers to receive or trigger electrical and chemical neuronal signals. The application will define the growth of neurons according to the location of sensors and stimulators on microchips.
Of particular importance for the research is determining the role of amyloid, a protein-based deposit, in Alzheimer’s disease. Since it is currently unknown if amyloid plaque contributes to the dementia and neuronal damage associated with the disease, studying individual neurons exposed to the protein could give insight into the disorder.
The second area of research will be the development of so called neuroprobes. Suitable for in vivo applications, neuroprobes are microfabricated arrays of sensors and actuators that could be implanted in the brain for in situ stimulation and for the monitoring of neuronal activity. The probes may be useful in the treatment of disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, dystonia, and obsessive-compulsive disorders.
For more information, contact IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium; phone: +32 16 281880; fax: +32 16 281637; Internet: www.imec.be.
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