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Regenerative Micro-Electrode Peripheral Nerve Interface for Optimized Proprioceptive and Cutaneous specific interfacing

Award Number: R01NS125435
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2022
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2027

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Regenerative Micro-Electrode Peripheral Nerve Interface for Optimized Proprioceptive and Cutaneous specific interfacing - Project Summary Every 30s, someone in the world has a limb amputated, with approximately 2.1 million people living with amputations in the U.S.A. Upper limb amputees traditionally use passive, body-pow- ered, or electrically powered prostheses that use surface Electromyographic (EMG) signals from intact muscles in the residual limb for movement and rely on visual and/or surrogate sensory input. Advanced peripheral nervous (PN) system interfaces have been proposed as a viable mechanism to improve the control by amputees by delivering naturalistic sensory feedback from sensorized robotic prosthetics. Unfortunately, current neural interfaces suffer from common chal- lenges such as electrode failure, signal deterioration over time, and unstable or problematic sen- sory percepts (“stinging and tingling”) that remain a challenge. Our Hypothesis is that we can obtain superior control over the somatosensory thalamus and cortex (S1/VPL), which will lead to more controlled sensory percepts by using molecularly guided regenerative peripheral nerve con- duits that entice cutaneous and proprioceptive axons down their respective molecularly cued arms of a Y-shaped Regenerative Ultra-thin Multi-Electrode Interface (Y-MG-RUMEI) implanted at me- dian nerve transections. As the Ultra-thin MEIs have much smaller electrode surface areas it is hoped they will offer more local control and decrease excitation of large, possible unrelated, axons in the peripheral nerve. Additionally, we will utilize optimized microstimulation (opMiSt) through UMEIs embedded in the 2 branches of the Y with their molecular cues for touch and propriocep- tion, respectively. Neural recordings will be made from the S1/VPL towards the optimization of the peripheral MiSt. Three specific aims are included: SA1. Achieve selective MiSt from Y-MG-REMEIs with Proprioceptive and Cutaneous conduits in a rat model. SA2. Determine controllability of VPL/S1 via MiSt in Y-MG-RUMEI sensory conduits in a rat forepaw (hand) amputee model. SA3. Deter- mine if Y-MG-RUMEIs allow better bidirectional Brain-Nerve-Machine Interface (biBNMI) control, as compared to control-RUMIs, without molecular guidance, based biBNMI performance in a rat amputee model.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $387,766 )
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM	4300 MARTIN LUTHER KING BLVD	HOUSTON	TX	77204	HARRIS	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	4	8/14/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$387,766
														Subtotal = $387,766

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $376,136 )
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM	4300 MARTIN LUTHER KING BLVD	HOUSTON	TX	77204	HARRIS	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	3	8/27/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$376,136
														Subtotal = $376,136

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $387,776 )
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM	4300 MARTIN LUTHER KING BLVD	HOUSTON	TX	77204	HARRIS	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	2	8/9/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$387,776
														Subtotal = $387,776

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $401,546 )
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM	4800 W CALHOUN ST STE 316	HOUSTON	TX	77004	HARRIS	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	1	8/17/2022	NEW	$401,546
														Subtotal = $401,546

Grand Total All Awards = $1,553,224

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Regenerative Micro-Electrode Peripheral Nerve Interface for Optimized Proprioceptive and Cutaneous specific interfacing

Award Number: R01NS125435

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2022

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2027

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