Highly Integrated CMOS Microsystems to Interface with Neurons at Subcellular Resolution

June 3, 2016 | 2pm - 3pm | Marcus Nanotechnology Room 1117

Abstract: To understand how functions and characteristics of neuronal networks arise from the concerted interactions of the involved neurons, it is necessary to have methods that allow for interacting with neuronal functional subunits and ensembles - somas, axons, dendrites, single neurons, and entire networks - at high spatiotemporal resolution and in real time. Extracellular electrical recordings by means of micro-transducer arrays complement well-established patch clamp techniques and optical or optogenetic techniques.

The use of CMOS technology helps to overcome the connectivity problem of how to interface thousands of tightly-spaced electrodes, while, at the same time, it improves signal-to-noise characteristics, as signal conditioning is done on chip next to where the partially very small signals (< 10 µV) are generated. CMOS-based arrays also enable high-throughput monitoring of potentially all action potentials in a larger neuronal network (> 1000 neurons) over extended time to see developmental effects or effects of disturbances. Here, we demonstrate how CMOS high-density microelectrode arrays (HD-MEAs) featuring several thousands of transducers (> 3’000 transducers per mm2) can be used to record from or stimulate potentially any individual neuron or subcellular compartment on the CMOS chip. Future applications may include research in neural diseases and pharmacology.

Bio: Andreas Hierlemann completed his college education in chemistry at the University of Tübingen, Germany, and was awarded a Ph.D. degree in 1996. He then held Postdoctoral positions at Texas A & M University, College Station, TX, USA, in 1997, and at Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, USA, in 1998. In 1999, he joined the Department of Physics, ETH Zurich, Switzerland, where he was appointed Associate Professor in June 2004. In April 2008, he became a Full Professor in the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (BSSE), ETH Zurich, Basel. His research interests include the development and application of microsensor, microfluidic, and microelectronic technologies to address questions in biology and medicine with applications in the fields of systems biology, drug testing, personalized medicine, and neuroscience. For details, see https://www.bsse.ethz.ch/bel/.