August 10, 2010 — Calgary, Alberta
The University of Calgary, Faculty of Medicine scientists who proved it is possible to cultivate a network of brain cells that reconnect on a silicon chip – or the brain on a microchip – have been involved in the development of new technology that monitors brain cell activity at a resolution never achieved before.
Developed with the National Research Council Canada (NRC), the new silicon chips are also simpler to use, which will help future understanding of how brain cells work under normal conditions and permit drug discoveries for a variety of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
The new technology from the lab of Naweed Syed, PhD, in collaboration with the NRC, is published online this month in the journal, Biomedical Microdevices.
“This technical breakthrough means we can track subtle changes in brain activity at the level of ion channels and synaptic potentials, which are also the most suitable target sites for drug development in neurodegenerative diseases and neuropsychological disorders,” says Syed, professor and head of the Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, member of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute and advisor to the Vice President Research on Biomedical Engineering Initiative of the University of Calgary.
The new neurochips are also automated. Previously it took years of training to learn how to record ion channel activity from brain cells, and it was only possible to monitor one or two cells simultaneously. Now, larger networks of cells can be placed on a chip and observed in minute detail, allowing the analysis of several brain cells networking and performing automatic, large-scale drug screening for various brain dysfunctions.
“The success of this project was achieved by reaching across the boundaries of scientific disciplines,” said Dr. Roman Szumski, NRC Vice President, Life Sciences. “This is a true partnership of neuroscientists, engineers and physicists from different Canadian R&D institutions. We are committed both to understanding the ultimate mystery of the brain and to developing tools and systems to accelerate development of better diagnostics and therapeutics for brain diseases.”
This new technology has the potential to help scientists in a variety of fields and on a variety of research projects. Gerald Zamponi, PhD, professor and head of the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, and member of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute at the University of Calgary, says, “This technology can likely be scaled up such that it will become a novel tool for medium throughput drug screening, in addition to its usefulness for basic biomedical research”.
The University of Calgary is excited at the potential of this made in Canada technology. "The University of Calgary is proud to be the home of this cutting edge Canadian work with a neurochip. The advances in research and healthcare made by possible by this technology are immense. The work and collaboration happening in the lab of Naweed Syed is another example demonstrating our leadership in the field of biomedical engineering," says Dr. Rose Goldstein the University of Calgary's vice-president of research.
For more information or to book interviews with Naweed Syed, PhD contact:
Marta Cyperling, Media Relations Advisor, marta.cyperling@ucalgary.ca 403.210.3835
For more information or to book interviews with NRC Group Leader on the Neurochip project, Geoffrey Mealing, please contact NRC Media Relations, media@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca 613.991.1431
UCalgary’s Faculty of Medicine is a national leader in health research with an international reputation for excellence and innovation in health care research, education and delivery. We train the next generation of health practitioners and move new treatments and diagnostic techniques from the laboratory bench to the hospital bedside, improving patient care.
The Hotchkiss Brain Institute at UCalgary consists of more than 100 physicians and scientists who are dedicated to advancing neurological and mental health research and education. The Institute’s research strengths in foundational neuroscience (axon biology and regeneration, cerebral blood flow and metabolism, synaptic transmission and neural systems) are leading to new treatments for neurological and psychiatric disorders, aimed at improving quality of life and patient care.
The University of Calgary has a critical mass of more than 100 researchers from the Schulich School of Engineering and the faculties of science, medicine, veterinary medicine kinesiology and nursing focused on biomedical engineering research. The U of C is expanding its internationally recognized work in the rapidly growing field of biomedical engineering in areas of expertise that include brain, bone and joint and cardio-respiratory health. The U of C is positioned as leader in Alberta's and Canada's growing biomedical economies through the invention, development and commercialization of new technologies to be used in the health care sector that will help prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses.
Recognized globally for research and innovation, Canada's National Research Council is a leader in the development of an innovative, knowledge-based economy for Canada through science and technology. NRC comprises some 20 institutes and national programs, spanning a wide variety of disciplines and offering a broad array of services. For information about the Neurochip project, please visit the NRC Synaptic Therapies and Devices Group website.
