| EPSRC Reference: |
EP/G005508/1 |
| Title: |
Patterning Biological Cells Using Microfabrication Technology |
| Principal Investigator: |
Murray, Professor AF |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Integrated Micro and Nano Systems |
| Organisation: |
University of Edinburgh |
| Scheme: |
Follow on Fund |
| Starts: |
07 September 2008 |
Ends: |
06 September 2009 |
Value (£): |
102,652
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Bioelectronic Devices |
Biomedical neuroscience |
| Cells |
New & Emerging Comp. Paradigms |
| VLSI Design |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| Electronics |
Healthcare |
| Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology |
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| Related Grants: |
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| Panel History: |
| Panel Date | Panel Name | Outcome |
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01 May 2008
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Follow on Fund Panel 2008
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Announced
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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The project will take a technology that has been developed under previous EPSRC fuinding and prepare it for patenting and commercialisation.The technique involves simple microfabrication (chip manufacture) technology that is commonplace and inexpensive in the semiconductor cleanroom. Patterns are created on silicon, using standard microfabrication and carefully-chosen materials (polymers). These patterns are, at the time of creation, biologically inert. They can be stored as blanks indefinitely.Subsequently, the blanks are dipped in a protein mixture that activates them - whereupon neural cells grow preferentially on the patterns of polymer, allowing networks to be designed and createwd with considerable accuracy.This project will optimise the microfabrication steps and bioligical dipping process for neurones, explore the ability to pattern other forms of cell such as stem cells and muscles and build a business case for exploiting the technology.Application areas include:-1) Laboratory expermintation using designed patterns of cells2) Drug discovery and assay3) Prosthetics - using patterns to effectively re-wire damaged tissue(1) is an immediate prospect. (2) will be the focus of a market evaluation and business plan during this follow-on project, while (3) is a considerably longer-term prospect.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.ed.ac.uk |