Investigations on in the impact of tissue reactions on the longevity of flexible neural probes
PIs
Prof. Thomas Stieglitz
Dr. Maria Asplund
Summary
Neural implants need to work reliably for years after implantation. However, they are identified, attacked and encapsulated during the processes of the foreign body reactions. Where do cells interact with the implant and how does chemical attack influence the adhesion stability of the thin-film electrodes? Scanning electron microscopy after focused ion beam preparation (FIB-SEM) will be done on neural probe-tissue ensembles to image tissue interference with probe materials and to analyze changes of material composition due to pH changes and ion uptake (EDX, TOF-SIMS). Insights will result in better understanding of design and material parameters on implant longevity.