###Piezoelectric nanofibers guiding and sensing optogenetically-controlled neuromuscular junctions by flexible organic LED stimulation
Project ID: 2228bd1026 (You will need this ID for your application)
Research Theme: Healthcare Technologies
UCL Lead department: Division of Surgery and Interventional Sciences
Lead Supervisor: Wenhui Song
Project Summary:
Paralysis due to injury, stroke and neuromuscular diseases incorporates numerous conditions that affect the function of nerves and muscles, impairing the execution of motor commands and ultimately leading to irreversible muscle atrophy. The field of tissue engineering and especially biomaterials that can guide and influence cell function coupled with human induced pluripotent cells and optogenetics provides a novel platform to generate functional and physiologically relevant human models or devices of the neuromuscular junction in an unprecedented way for investigating mechanisms of neuromuscular diseases and improvement of the treatment of paralysed individuals. The project aims to develop a novel optical stimulation device for the neuromuscular junction using light-sensitive genetically modified motor neuron and/or myofibers grown on multi-functional piezo-electrical nanofibers that will be able to develop the biosynthetic logical interface between neuron and muscles and re-build motion ability. Fabrication of electrospun co-axial flexible piezoelectric nanofibers with desired alignment will be used to mimic native muscle extracellular matrix and guide myofiber formation while the addition of neuronal cells will emulate the neuromuscular junction. Furthermore, by employing optogenetics the contraction of the myofibers and the synapse formation regulated by neuronal cells as well as piezoelectrical force sensors will be possible using a flexible and bio-safe organic LED light source, thus allowing the fine tuning of neuromuscular junction functionality offering many possibilities to engineer an implantable light responsive tissue regenerating platform.