Developing a new therapy for major depression: magnetomechanical stimulation of astrocytes facilitated by MRI-guided focused ultrasound
Project ID: 2228cd1341 (You will need this ID for your application)
Research Theme: Healthcare Technologies
UCL Lead department: Division of Medicine
Lead Supervisor: Mark Lythgoe
Project Summary:
Why this research is important: Major depression is a main cause of health loss globally, yet conventional antidepressants and psychotherapy are ineffective in ~30-50% of patients. Therefore, new treatments are urgently needed. We have recently developed a novel neuromodulation technology called magnetomechanical stimulation (MMS), which enables control of a specific type of brain cells called astrocytes and holds promise as a new therapy for major depression. MMS utilises targeted magnetic forces, created by applying a magnetic field to magnetic nanoparticles that are bound selectively to astrocytes, to activate the mechanosensitive release of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This is key to the therapeutic potential of MMS because converging evidence show that astrocyte-derived ATP has potent antidepressant-like effects. MMS is also unique because it can be both minimally invasive and highly targeted, unlike existing therapies such as deep brain stimulation, which is invasive, or transcranial magnetic stimulation, which has low spatial resolution. We will employ MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRIgFUS) to deliver magnetic nanoparticles to astrocytes in the target brain region in a surgery-free and spatially accurate manner, thereby minimising invasiveness and improving precision.
Who you will be working with: This project offers an exciting opportunity to join a team of leading UCL imaging scientists and neuroscientists (Mark Lythgoe, Alexander Gourine, and Yichao Yu) to develop a new treatment for major depression.
What you will be doing: This project consists of three stages: 1) implementing and optimising MRIgFUS within an existing MRI system; 2) developing MMS facilitated by MRIgFUS; and 3) assessing the efficacy of MMS in resolving depressive-like abnormalities in animal models.
Who we are looking for: The ideal candidate would have a passion for developing new healthcare technologies and enjoy interdisciplinary work that spans engineering, biomedical imaging, and neuroscience. Candidates with a background in biomedical engineering, physics, or neuroscience will be considered.