IMEC Research Explores the Chip/Cell Interface
From: EDN - 10/26/2007
By: Ron Wilson

Direct electrical, mechanical, and chemical interfaces between organic cells
and operating integrated circuits are the focus of a continuing research
program at Belgium's Interuniversity Microelectronics Center. Among the
projects detailed at the recent annual IMEC research review meeting was one
to develop an artificial synapse consisting of a direct interface between the
interconnect points on a living neuron cell and sensors and receptors on the
surface of an IC, with IMEC research group leader Carmen Bartic noting that
the effort starts with developing the biochemistry to build a surface coating
for a circuit that will help the cell live in prolonged contact with the
chip. The next phase involves the development of cell-chip interfaces, and
IMEC's exploration in this area considers directing the growth of a cell onto
the surface of a chip so that the cell is immobilized and its synapses
aligned with transducer sites. The researchers are also working on electrical
and chemical sensors capable of accurately measuring synaptic changes when
neural activity occurs, as well as nanomachine chemical dispensers that could
produce tiny emissions of chemical ions to imitate the action of a synapse in
stimulating another synapse. The ultimate goal is to incorporate such an
interface into a nerve bundle to function as a diagnostic tool, a therapeutic
tool, or a computer-controlled prosthetic interface. Another effort aims to
implant an electrical interface directly within a cell, and it involves the
fabrication of gold/platinum pillars on the surface of a chip, with
electrical links through to the underlying circuitry. The idea is that a
passing cell would absorb the chip via endocytosis. Still another IMEC
project is focusing on affixing custom-tailored nanoparticles to cells and
manipulating them--and thus molecules and cells - with nanomachines
fabricated on the surface of ICs. 

Read the entire article at:
http://www.edn.com/article/CA6494779.html

Links:
Interuniversity Microelectronics Center
http://www.imec.be/ovinter/static_general/start_en_flash.shtml

Bioelectronic Systems
http://www.imec.be/microsystems/bioelectronics/

Neuroelectronics
http://www.imec.be/microsystems/bioelectronics/research/neuroelectronics.shtml

Therapeutic brain implants
http://www.imec.be/microsystems/bioelectronics/research/ne2.shtml