EECS Seminar: Translational Neuroelectronics

Abstract: Our understanding of the brain’s pathophysiology relies on discoveries in neuroscience and neurology fueled by sophisticated bioelectronics enabling visualization and manipulation of neural circuits at multiple spatial and temporal resolutions. In parallel, to facilitate clinical translation of advanced materials, devices, and technologies, all components of bioelectronic devices have to be considered. Organic electronics offer a unique approach to device design, due to their mixed ionic/electronic conduction, mechanical flexibility, enhanced biocompatibility and capability for drug delivery. We design, develop and characterize conformable, stretchable organic electronic
devices based on conducting polymer-based electrodes, particulate electronic composites, highperformance transistors, conformable integrated circuits and ion-based data communication. These devices established new experimental paradigms that allowed monitoring of the emergence of neural circuits during development in rodents and elucidated patterns of neural network maturation in the developing brain. Furthermore, the biocompatibility of the devices also allowed intra-operative recording from patients undergoing epilepsy and deep brain stimulation surgeries, highlighting the translational capacity of this class of neural interface devices. In parallel, we are developing the fully-implantable, conformable implantable integrated circuits based on high-speed internal ionic gated organic electrochemical transistors that can perform the entire chain of signal acquisition, processing and transmission without the need of hard Si-based devices. This multidisciplinary approach will enable the development of new devices based on organic electronics, with broad applicability to the understanding of physiologic and pathologic network activity, control of brain-machine interfaces and therapeutic closed-loop devices.

Bio: Dion Khodagholy is Henry Samueli Associate Professor the Department of Electrical Engineering at UCI. He received his Master’s degree from the University of Birmingham (UK). He obtained his Ph.D. in microelectronics at the Department of Bioelectronics (BEL) of the Ecole des Mines (France). His postdoctoral research at New York University, Langone Medical Center was focused on large-scale cortical acquisition and analysis. He was an associate professor at Columbia University prior to joining UCI. His research explores the interface of electronics and the brain in the context of both applied and discovery sciences, with the ultimate goal of new innovations in device engineering and neuroscience methods to improve diagnosis and treatment of neuropsychiatric disease.