Monday, June 2, 2025
6/2/2025
WIRELESS MAGNETO-MECHANICAL CONTROL OF NEURAL ACTIVITY MEDIATED BY MAGNETIC NANODISCS - WIRELESS MAGNETO-MECHANICAL CONTROL OF NEURAL ACTIVITY MEDIATED BY MAGNETIC NANODISCS PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT Cell-type specific manipulation of neural circuits is required for the treatment of neurological disorders and psychiatric conditions. Precise control of neural circuits will enable the development of neuromodulation therapies for these debilitating conditions. Existing technologies to control neural activity offer limited possibilities. Manipulation of brain circuits via direct drug treatment is restricted by the selective permeability of the blood- brain barrier, the rapid clearance of cerebral fluids and the lack of specificity which results in poor response to drugs and undesirable side effects. Electrical stimulation and optogenetics have open the possibility of repairing neural dysfunction through direct control of brain circuit dynamics. However, both technologies require implantable devices that are damaging to biological tissues. Minimally invasive control of cell signaling with magnetic fields is being explored in basic studies of the nervous and immune systems. Wireless schemes based on hysteretic heating of magnetic nanoparticles in high frequency alternating magnetic fields (AMFs) have already permitted modulation of neural activity and cancer theranostics in vivo. Despite these advances, the potential off-target heating effects and challenges in scaling of high-frequency AMFs apparatuses impede universal adoption of magnetic hyperthermia in biomedical research. Here we propose a scalable magneto- mechanical scheme for remote control of neural activity mediated by magnetic nanodiscs (MNDs). MNDs will be fabricated by interference lithography and template-assisted physical deposition technique to produce in bulk non-toxic MNDs with high colloidal stability. When interfaced with the cell membranes, MNDs will act as transducers of low frequency low amplitude (20-50 mT, 5-10 Hz) magnetic fields into mechanical forces. This technology will be applied in vitro to control neural activity in cortical neurons isolated from rat brains. Moreover, we will investigate our technology to evoke auditory-driven fear behavior in mice by modulating neural activity in the auditory cortex → amygdala pathway. Modulation of auditory cortex to amygdala brain circuits could allow the development of non-invasive therapies for the management of fear and anxiety-related disorders. In contrast to magneto-thermal approaches, the system proposed here offers straightforward scalability to large volumes, requires significantly lower magnetic energy, and is capable of modulating cell activity without reliance on transgenes.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).