Interfacing nanomaterials with neural networks: what happens when brain meets the artificial
| Dates: | 19 May 2016 |
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| Times: | 11:00 - 12:00 |
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| What is it: | Seminar |
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| Organiser: | Faculty of Life Sciences |
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| Who is it for: | University staff |
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| Speaker: | Dr Giada Cellot |
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The application of nanotechnology to neuroscience promotes innovative solutions that may be useful for brain repair strategies after damage. Carbon based nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes and graphene, have extensively attracted attention, due to their remarkable properties. In fact, their mechanical properties (i.e. flexibility) together with their capability to efficiently conduit electrical current, make them suited in the design of novel neuronal interfaces for the development of prosthetic devices. In this process, a critical step is to characterize the impact of the nanomaterial on the functionality of neural network. To this aim, by using electrophysiological recordings, we investigated the electrical properties of neurons in dissociated hippocampal cultures grown interfaced to carbon nanotubes and graphene based substrates. Our experiments showed that when neurons are grown in nano-bio hybrid system with carbon nanotubes, this material is not only fully biocompatible for cells, but it is also able to boost the electrical performance of neuronal network. Neurons seated on carbon nanotubes substrates, indeed, are more excitable at single cell level, form more synaptic connections and have a modified synaptic plasticity. On the other hand, when neurons are interfaced with graphene based substrates, their activity develops fully in the range of physiological parameters. The understanding of the diverse effect of different carbon based nanomaterials on neuronal activity could be exploited for the development of a new generation of implantable devices, able to respond to the requirements of various kinds of nervous system lesions.
In fact, their mechanical properties (i.e. flexibility) together with their capability to efficiently conduit electrical current, make them suited in the design of novel neuronal interfaces for the development of prosthetic devices. In this process, a critical step is to characterize the impact of the nanomaterial on the functionality of neural network. To this aim, by using electrophysiological recordings, we investigated the electrical properties of neurons in dissociated hippocampal cultures grown interfaced to carbon nanotubes and graphene based substrates. Our experiments showed that when neurons are grown in nano-bio hybrid system with carbon nanotubes, this material is not only fully biocompatible for cells, but it is also able to boost the electrical performance of neuronal network. Neurons seated on carbon nanotubes substrates, indeed, are more excitable at single cell level, form more synaptic connections and have a modified synaptic plasticity. On the other hand, when neurons are interfaced with graphene based substrates, their activity develops fully in the range of physiological parameters. The understanding of the diverse effect of different carbon based nanomaterials on neuronal activity could be exploited for the development of a new generation of implantable devices, able to respond to the requirements of various kinds of nervous system lesions.
Speaker
Dr Giada Cellot
Role: Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour
Organisation: University of Leicester
Biography: Giada is a neuroscientist, expert in characterizing neuronal activity by means of patch clamp and calcium imaging techniques in a wide range of preparations (dissociated and organotypic cultures, acute slices, entire zebrafish larvae) and competent in performing dual recordings from pairs of neurons, both from dissociated cultures and acute slices. Has worked mainly in the field of applications of nanotechology to neuroscience, to characterize the impact of innovative nanomaterials on electrical properties of neurons interfaced to them. More recently, she investigated synaptic alterations in a mouse model of autism and in a fish model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (recordings from the entire animal). She is keen to collaborate with people from different disciplinary areas (life sciences, chemistry, materials science, engineering).
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Michael Smith Lecture Theatre
