Implanted selective vagus nerve stimulation (sVNS) device for heart disease
Project ID: 2531ad1567
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Research Theme: Healthcare Technologies
UCL Lead department: Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering
Lead Supervisor: Kirill Aristovich
Project Summary:
Why this research is important? Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of mortality worldwide, with heart failure affecting millions of individuals. Following a heart attack (myocardial infarction, MI), dysfunction in the autonomic nervous system leads to various complications, including lethal heart arrythmias. Despite significant advances in pharmaceuticals, current therapies have significant limitations in mitigating lethal arrhythmias and progression into chronic heart failure following MI, necessitating innovative approaches. Neuromodulation therapy, specifically vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), offers a holistic approach to heart disease management.
The project aims to develop a fully implantable, wireless, batteryless multi-electrode nerve cuff device for targeted vagus stimulation and real-time monitoring of nerve activity and hemodynamic effects in different organ targets, specifically the heart. Ultimately, this approach holds promise for improving patient outcomes, reducing cardiac remodelling, and preventing heart failure progression in patients with myocardial infarction.
Who you will be working with? You will be working in the UCL EITN/Neurophysiology lab along with experts in the fields of biomedical engineering, biology, medicine, and implanted technology, utilising a wide network of collaborators. In our lab, we have pioneered this technology and performed several milestone proof-of-concept studies evaluating and de-risking the technology.
What you will be doing? You will be designing, developing, manufacturing, and testing a novel class of implanted neural devices, which will utilise the latest wireless batteryless technologies in combination with advanced manufacturing methods available within the Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering. You will then be testing the devices in large animal models evaluating safety and efficacy, and then eventually in human patients.
Who we are looking for? We are looking for a broad-minded person to work on a challenging engineering project which addresses an unmet clinical problem. Therefore extensive knowledge in biology and medicine, especially peripheral neural system, is desired.