Neuroelectronic interfaces: from in vitro to in vivo neural applications

Date and time: 21/7 14.00-15.00
Location: R-aulan, Mölndals sjukhus.

Abstract: Neural implants are electronic devices that interconnect with the central and peripheral nervous systems to read and control neural activity. Such devices are a powerful tool in the field of neurosciences and neurology, as they allow us to unveil and understand the complex neuronal networks behind different neuronal systems in our body. Likewise, such neural interfaces allow us to investigate the principles behind neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases and disorders, as well as it allows us to implement novel therapies that could induce/revert normal/abnormal activity in our nervous system. Nonetheless, the main challenge that neural implants face up to date is their long-term stability and their capability of being stealth to the body, which are mainly influenced by the insertion injury, mechanical differences between the implant and the surrounding tissue, and the ability of the implant to conform to micro-motions inside the body.
Thus, from a new generation of visual prostheses, such as the development of flexible intraretinal implants, to compliant and high-density intracortical implants and high-tech acupuncture needles to enhance microneurography in the study of chronic pain in peripheral nerves, our ultimate goal is to understand and restore lost neuronal functions in the body. Our work comprises the development of stealth neurotechnology for seamless integration with the body and bidirectional communication for acknowledging and stimulating neuronal activity via electrical, optical, or chemical stimulation. To this end, we customize designs and materials to our target applications and characterize the performance of our devices in vitro, ex vivo, and with cadaveric animal models to achieve acute and chronic in vivo applications.

Bio: Dr. Ing. Viviana Rincón Montes, originally from Colombia, is a postdoctoral researcher and a junior group leader of the research group “Neuroelectronics for in vivo applications” at the Institute of Biological Information Processing- Bioelectronics (IBI-3) at the Research Center Jülich in Germany. She received her doctoral degree in engineering in February 2021 at the RWTH Aachen University, obtaining the recognition of Summa Cum Laude after her doctoral thesis on the development of intraretinal implants as a new generation of visual prostheses. She completed a MSc. in Biomedical Engineering at the RWTH Aachen University in Germany and a BSc. in Electronic and Computer Engineering at the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) in Mexico. Her research expertise and interest focus are the development of bioelectronics interfaces, such as neurotechnology and biosensing. Her expertise comprises micro-fabrication technology, electrophysiology, in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo neural applications, electrochemistry, instrumentation of bio-signals, signal processing, and electronics.

Attendance: Attendance is open for all. Please show up on time out of respect for our invited speaker.