The activities of the Work Package "Health and Environment" are aimed to address these three stages, starting from the physicochemical properties and bio-nano interactions when GRM are introduced in biosystems, taking into account the different routes of exposure. Following the results obtained during the ramp-up phase, where we elucidated the mechanisms on how GRMs interact with cells and the first impact on plants and aquatic species, and based on the preliminary data in the Core 1 project, aiming to link GRM physicochemical features and safe-by-design approaches, the objectives of WP4 in Core 2 will focus particularly on long-term effects of GRMs and on how the natural barriers interact with GRMs.
SISSA will use here in vitro systems to investigate neuroglia signalling regulation by GRMs. In vitro and in vivo models of neuroinflammation disease of the CNS such as multiple sclerosis neurodegeneration will be used, to assess the functional impact of GRM exposure on diseased brain and spinal cord.
The work package related to "Biomedical applications" WP5 develops advanced tools for neuroscience research and next-generation medical neural interface devices towards clinical translation in specific disease models: i) retinal (blindness); ii) cortical (epilepsy); iii) deep-structure (Parkinson's); iv) peripheral nervous system (diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis). The specific goals in WP5 will be [operational TRL range also mentioned]:
• Fabrication and technology up-scaling of neural interfaces integrating single functionality (recording, stimulation or therapeutic delivery) and combined multi-functionalities (recording and stimulation of electrical activity; recording and therapeutic delivery) [TRL 2-6].
• Biocompatibility evaluation of the developed technologies and in vitro and in vivo assessment of the device functionality [TRL 5-6]
• Development of therapeutic element as components of the developed medical neurotechnologies and devices [TRL 2-4]
• Exploitation and commercialization of graphene neurotechnologies in neuroscience research [TRL 6-8]
• Identification of most promising medical devices exploring the feasibility of their translation towards clinical applications by interrogating function under model conditions [TRL 6]
WP5 is the newest research programme in the whole of the Flagship. WP5 aims to move forward in Core 2 by consolidating effort around a single, focused technology: Multifunctional in vivo neural interfaces on ultra-soft flexible probes to achieve integration in recording, stimulation and drug delivery capabilities in a single device.
SISSA: Determine the therapeutic efficiency of inhibited synaptic activity in excitatory neurons from graphene and graphene-drug conjugates in the context of epilepsy and anxiety disease (rat) models. Correlations with in vivo electrophysiology of the focal diseased areas.