Manuela Ciocca, K Snashall, P Giannakou, L Cina, A Camaioni, M Shkunov and T M Brown
University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy University of Surrey, UK Cicci Research s r l, Italy
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Eye Cataract Surg
According to the World Health Organization there are 285 million people visually impaired worldwide. Medical treatments are improving rapidly with the development of biomedical engineering and bionics. Biomedicalelectronic engineering can play a vital role in developing innovative prosthetics, in particular in sight restoration via artificial vision. Interfacing living systems with organic electronics is the forefront of bioengineering, while never without risks, technological breakthroughs promise innovative solutions. In our research-work we propose a novel printed and photolithographically defined Retina-System based on organic semiconducting polymers. SIROH project focuses on the development of a bio-hybrid-photosensitive device for retinal photostimulation. It consists of a biocompatible polymeric thin film, a retinal tissue and biological electrolyte, all sandwiched between two parallel transparent electrodes. The device will evoke electrical photoresponses in (healthy and/or degenerated) retinas which could be analysed in a novel approach. The results stemming from SIROH-device will find medical applications in treatments for eye diseases, i.e. Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP). Furthermore, it will introduce a new platform to unravel the visual system networking replacing and/or supporting the standard electrophysiological instrumentation (patchclamp amplifier or multi-electrodes array). The first step of our research is to develop a device system to interface with retinal tissue. The printed devicesystem is presented in the form of an array of thin-film round ‘pixels’ composed of semiconducting polymer-P3HT of around 70μm diameter, and also, a continuous, 0.8x0.8 cm2 spin coated, 80 nm thick P3HT film. The device aims to mimic retinal photoreceptors activities in order to substitute the deteriorated photoreceptors. The first realized prototype shows high sensitivity to light, an absorbance spectra similar to the retinal green cones (λmax=520 nm), and elicited photocurrent values (~ nA) suitable for photoreceptors stimulation. This cross-cutting research project brings together engineering, biomedicine and neuroscience to introduce a revolutionizing approach in the field of visual prostheses
Manuela Ciocca has graduated in Medical Engineering from University of Rome Tor Vergata in October 2016 defending a Master thesis about developing and testing organic semiconducting polymers or hybrid thin films and their possible interfacing with retinal system to develop Artificial Retinas. In 2016, she started her PhD in Electronic Engineering on development of Artificial Retinas for sight restoration using organic polymeric thin films. She won the ITWIIN (Italian Women Inventor & Innovator) Awards-Special Mention Material Conne Xion-Best Innovative woman 2016, and the EIWIIN (European International Women Inventors & Innovators), Special Recognition Award 2017 for ingenious and innovative achievements. In the past she has worked for ISATEL SRL on the design and development of a multi-functional medical device for physiotherapy and post-traumatic rehabilitation. Currently she is based at the University of Surrey (UK) for her 2nd PhD year, working on the development of an ink-jet printed polymeric Artificial Retina (project funded by Lazio Region- TORNOSUBITO programme).
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