CAREER: Spiral-Spring Shaped Flexible Electronics for Long-term Monitoring of Neural Activity in Developing Brains

Recording neural activity in single cells during brain development is crucial for understanding brain maturation and early indications of brain disorders. However, the size and structure of the brain change as it develops, which makes it difficult to obtain stable recordings. This CAREER project will develop high-speed, stretchable electrical sensors that can continuously record neural activity in single cells of the developing brains of rodents. These sensors will help track the development of individual neurons and networks, which will provide insight into brain maturation, neural plasticity (its ability to adapt and change), and the influence of experience and environmental factors. The sensors will enable detection of pathological changes that are critical for diagnostics and interventions. The results will benefit developmental neuroscience, sensing technologies, and brain-machine interfaces. The project will integrate research and education by (1) training students about flexible neuroelectronics; (2) fostering interdisciplinary research and educational experiences; (3) developing interdisciplinary courses on neuroelectronics and neuroengineering; (4) promoting computational training; and (5) offering outreach to the public, especially K-12 students and teachers. The ability to record neural activity with single-cell, single-spike spatiotemporal resolution in behaving animals throughout brain development is important for understanding how the brain matures into an organ capable of learning, memory, and cognition. This CAREER project will develop a platform for stable, long-term tracking of neural activity from the same neurons in developing neonatal rodent brains. The project is organized in three thrusts. (1) Developing spiral electronics: This thrust will design ultra-thin, flexible electronics with high-density microelectrode arrays into a two-dimensional spiral structure. When implanted into the neonatal brain using a standard rigid shuttle probe, the spiral electronics transforms into a three-dimensional, stretchable spring structure that seamlessly integrates with brain tissue, adapting to tissue morphological changes during development. (2) Tracking neural signals from the same cells during brain development: This thrust will implant spiral electronics in neonatal rat brains to evaluate their impact on brain development, demonstrating minimal interference while enabling stable, long-term tracking of single-unit action potentials from the same cells during brain development. (3) Recording neural dynamics associated with brain development and neurodevelopmental disorders: This thrust will monitor the evolution of single-cell spiking and population dynamics from the same cells as the neonatal brain develops. It will also compare neural signals in a neonatal rat model of schizophrenia with control animals, identifying when and how neural pathological signals emerge before other symptoms appear. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. NSF Award ID: 2443060 | Program: 01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT | Principal Investigator: Jia Liu | Institution: Harvard University, CAMBRIDGE, MA | Award Amount: $550,000 View on NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/show-award/?AWD_ID=2443060 View on Research.gov: https://www.research.gov/awardapi-service/v1/awards/2443060.html