The enigma of movement
From simple things like waking up in the morning, running, or dancing on Saturday night to the extremely fine motions of a surgeon operating a patient, movement is a central feature of our everyday life, and any limitation to it can be a cause of enormous discomfort.
Despite movement being one of the most basic functions of the human body, however, the exact way in which it is generated by interactions between the brain and spinal cord has yet to be revealed.
The project
In the high-risk, high-gain EIC Pathfinder Open project, Move2Treat, a team of researchers led by Associate Professor Christos Markos will develop novel neural interfaces, towards development of novel therapies for movement disorders in the central nervous system
Electro will develop a new generation of ultra-soft, biocompatible and multifunctional optical fibers able to simultaneously deliver light, record electrical signal and inject drugs in the brain and spinal cord. These fibers will then be passed along to the project partners.
- The fibers will be further functionalized using advanced laser processing methods developed in CUT
- Fully integrated, robust and wireless implantable devices will be produced using advanced nanofabrication methods by UFR
- Finally, the technology will be validated in vivo by UCPH
The future of personalized medicine
With more than 1 billion people suffering from movement impairments caused by neurological diseases, a definite understanding of the mechanisms causing them constitutes the most crucial factor for the development of treatments.
At the same time, in the era of personalized medicine, the development of novel, biocompatible implantable devices with integrated functionalities for both diagnostic and therapeutic applications will create new paradigms in how treatments can be applied.
The results of this project will contribute to the next era of neurotechnology and medical technology, and move us a step closer to a future in which the motor disorders caused by common health issues such as strokes or Parkinson’s disease are only a distant memory.
Facts
- Official project title: Move2Treat: Mapping the brain-spinal cord interaction towards understanding and treatment of movement disorders
- Total EIC investment: 23M DKK
- Partners: University of Copenhagen, Cyprus University of Technology, and University of Freiburg
