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MODEL FOR ELECTRODE TESTING AND REDUCED ANIMAL USE
Phone: (781) 769-9450
Email: SCOGAN@EICLABS.COM
Phone: (781) 769-9450
Email: DRAUH@EICLABS.COM
DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The development of in vitro models that
provide useful, cost-effective tools for assessing long-term electrochemical
function of chronically implanted electrodes is proposed. The in vitro models
will provide an alternative to animal models for developing experimental
protocols and assessing chronic electrode stability. They will allow long-term
testing of electrochemical function and stability of electrodes under
conditions that reflect the in vivo electrochemical environment without the
expense and variability of conducting such testing in animals. The program
focuses on electrodes for neural recording, functional electrical stimulation
(FES), and chemical sensing in the central nervous system (CNS), although
applications to electrodes in the periphery and to biostability of passive
implants are anticipated. An inanimate model and a living model employing mouse
progenitor cells are proposed. Both models are designed to mimic the
compositional and diffusion environment of the CNS as it affects
electrochemistry at an electrode. The inanimate model was developed in Phase I.
The Phase II program will expand the model to include living cells. The
validity of the inanimate and living models will be evaluated by comparison of
electrode function in the in vitro models with that observed under identical
test protocols in the chronic cat cortex.
* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *