Session: Rising Stars of Mechanical Engineering Celebration & Showcase

Paper Number: 149675

149675 - Material Engineering Toolset for Neurological Interfaces 

Our team is dedicated to developing an engineering toolset that methodically assists in revealing the neural mechanisms behind neurological and psychiatric disorders, paving the way for therapeutic innovations. We aim to establish a platform that minimizes invasiveness to biological tissue, guarantees functional longevity, provides comprehensive coverage of neural circuits, and manipulates neurons across scales—from individual synapses to extensive neural networks—while pinpointing specific neural populations. This platform is centered on two key directions: precise interventional tools for remotely controlled neuromodulation and real-time multimodal recording techniques to track neural dynamics. Our magnetic toolkit for remote neuromodulation allows for the temporally precise modulation of specific neural circuits involved in motivation and social interactions, integrating magnetic tools with behavioral neuroscience. Additionally, our soft-material-based recording system tracks neural dynamics at multiple sites across the central nervous system in freely behaving mice, capturing concurrent behavioral outputs.

In our recent project, "Multifunctional Soft Neural Probes for Elucidating Spinal Cord Injury Pathophysiology," we combine our expertise in materials engineering and neuroscience. We hypothesize that developing new multifunctional soft neural probe technology will enhance our comprehensive understanding of neural pathophysiology in spinal cord injuries (SCI). Our research objectives will be achieved through four specific tasks: (1) Developing new multifunctional soft neural probe technology using polymer engineering approaches. We will fine-tune the optical and mechanical properties of hydrogel materials by manipulating their nano- and micro-scale structures, optimizing the hydrogel's ability to transmit light for optical neural modulation and recording, and to conform to spinal tissue movements in vivo. (2) Testing the multifunctionality and long-term viability of the soft neural probes in vivo, designed to support optical stimulation, photometric recording, electrical recording, drug infusion, and virus delivery, all within miniaturized devices that do not restrict natural movement. (3) Investigating spinal locomotor circuits with soft neural probes through a series of behavioral tests to assess functional recovery post-SCI. (4) Applying the soft neural probes for genetic and pharmacological interventions to enhance functional recovery in SCI mouse models.

Additionally, in our “Non-invasive Cell-type-specific Magnetic Neural Modulation” project, we employ time-varying magnetic stimuli to control the electrical signaling of genetically modified neurons. Our goal is to harness this method to modify neural excitability and ultimately achieve targeted non-invasive neural modulation. We will screen the genetic approach to modulate the membrane's passive properties and consequently regulate the action potential generation. This innovative approach promises to open new avenues for understanding and manipulating neural activity without the need for invasive procedures.

Presenting Author: Siyuan Rao Binghamton University, SUNY

Presenting Author Biography: Dr. Siyuan Rao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. She launched her Neurobiological Interfaces Lab (www.syraolab.com) in 2021. Dr. Rao obtained her Ph.D in Materials Physics and Chemistry at Beihang University in 2015 and completed her postdoctoral training in neuroengineering and bioelectronics with Profs. Polina Anikeeva and Guoping Feng at MIT in 2020 with Simons Postdoctoral Fellowship and NIH K99 award. Her team is developing new engineering tools to facilitate the investigation of neurobiological interfaces. Her collaborative and interdisciplinary work across engineering and neuroscience has led to fruitful research outcomes with publications in Cell, Nature Nanotechnology, Nature Methods, Nature Communications, Science Advances et. al. She is the awardee of the NIH K99/R00 program (2019), NARSAD BBRF Young Investigator Grant (2021), AFOSR Young Investigator Program (2022) and NSF CAREER Program (2023).

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