CMU researchers lead multi-institution team unlocking the mysteries of brain health
Maysam Chamanzar of Carnegie Mellon University and Azadeh Yazdan of the University of Washington have received a National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 grant to create a dura smart port that will allow direct access to the brain using optical and electrical stimulation, as well as recording. Chamanzar, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering and biomedical engineering, describes the smart dura implant as a “universal port into the brain.”
The device represents the successor to current artificial dura, small ports that replace the connective tissue (dura) surrounding the brain, providing access to the organ. Artificial dura may be removed for short periods of time to place electrodes that allow for stimulation and recording, though not without risk for infection or the regrowth of dura tissue, potentially obstructing the port. To prevent this, the team’s smart dura will utilize a biocompatible material with both optical and electrical recording and stimulation capabilities permanently integrated into the port itself. This would minimize the risk of dura growing back, as well as any need for regular exposure of the brain tissue beneath.