PhD Position: Implantable biosensors for neurotransmitter monitoring

This doctoral project will be carried out in the frame of a multidisciplinary research project, where expertise in soft-matter physics, nanobiosensing and neurotechnologies is combined with advanced expertise in neurophysiology, and in mechanisms of psychiatric and neurological disorders. While the main part of the work concerns sensor development and validation in vitro in the Nanobiophysics team of the Soft Matter and Biophysics unit of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, under the supervision of Prof Carmen Bartic (Department of Physics and Astronomy), the devices will be customized and tested in vivo in collaboration the neuroscience teams under the supervision of Prof. Myles McLaughlin (Department of Neurosciences) and Prof. Rudi D’Hooge and Dr. Laura Luyten (Faculty of Psychology).
The Nanobiophysics team has expertise in biosensors, nanotechnologies and neuroengineering methods. Our main research teams are artificial extracellular matrices and implantable biosensors based on hybrid nano-biomaterials that preserve implant functionality (by reducing inflammation and foreign body response) and add biosensing functionalities to neural prostheses.
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Project

Neurons in the brain communicate via complex electrochemical signalling processes that underpin the functioning of the nervous system. Electrochemical signaling allows neurons to form simple local circuits that in turn form vast neural networks to facilitate complex functions such as learning, memory, emotions, and cognition. Recent advances in silicon probe technology allow in vivo electrical recordings with unprecedented throughput and spatio-temporal resolution. However, an equivalent technology for monitoring chemical signalling in a similar way is still missing. 

A large variety of electrochemical sensors have been demonstrated in vitro, with proof-of-concept neurotransmitter sensitivities down to nanomole concentrations and millisecond time resolution. However, the huge potential of these methods remains essentially unexploited in vivo, mainly because of: (1) inflammation and foreign body reactions (FBR) that lead to sensor fouling and loss of sensing functionality in chronic settings; (2) instability of conventional Ag/AgCl reference electrodes in vivo; (3) poor sensor selectivity in a complex biochemical environment.

The main goal of the project is to tackle these challenges and develop electrochemical biosensors with high sensitivity and selectivity for fast and multiplexed in vivo neurochemical monitoring and integrate these into in vivo probes. The sensors should provide stable (for several weeks) in vivo chemical readout of dopamine (DA) and glutamate (Glu). The sensors will be based on nanocomposite sensing layers incorporating biocompatible metal nanoparticles in combination with enzymatic biorecognition elements encapsulated into thin cell/protein resistant layers (to prevent in vivo biofouling). Different electrochemical sensing schemes will be explored different scanning methods (e.g. square wave potentiometry to identify neurotransmitter-specific peaks, followed by chronoamperometry for millisecond chemical readout), while deep learning methods will be applied to realize multiplexed sensing (i.e. deconvolute individual neurotransmitter release patterns).

Profile

• You have a Master’s degree in electrical or biomedical engineering, (bio)physics, (bio)chemistry, bioengineering, nano science or nanotechnology;
• You have distinguished yourself during your bachelor/masters studies;
• You have a special interest in sensing technologies, in particular in applying physics and engineering in biology and medicine;
• You are motivated, ambitious, creative and result-oriented;
• You are able to work independently in an international and multidisciplinary team;
• You are fluent in English oral and written communication.

Offer

• We offer a 4-year, full-time doctoral scholarship (pending a positive evaluation before the end of the first year), starting after 1st October 2024.
• You will have the opportinity to work in a dynamic academic environment on a challenging and advance research topic, to help you acquire research expertise, technical skills and soft skills, to participate in national and international scientific events and network with leading researchers in the neurotechnology field.
• You will be able to develop your teaching and coaching skills by contributing to our taught programmes.
• Your normal place of work will be Leuven, Belgium.

Interested?

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