GIST Research Team Develops Wearable Optogenetics Device for Brain Control Using Light

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Gwan-woo] Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) announced on the 23rd that a joint research team led by Professor Lee Jong-ho of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Professor Kim Tae of the Department of Biomedical Engineering developed a wearable optogenetics device that controls the brain with light by driving a brain-implanted LED device using a human-implantable solar cell.

Optogenetics is a cutting-edge neuroscience methodology that uses light to control the activity of nerve cells with a time resolution on the order of one-thousandth of a second.

This research achievement provides a solution to the problem of developing a sustainable light source, which is one of the major challenges in developing optogenetic therapies, bringing clinical application of brain disease treatment through optogenetics one step closer.

Optogenetics has rapidly emerged in the field of neuroscience over the past 15 years as a precise neural modulation method.

It is a revolutionary neuroscience technology that expresses light-responsive heterologous proteins in neurons, the main actors of brain activity, enabling neurons to be turned on and off depending on the presence or absence of light.

However, the current methods applying optogenetics have limitations: although wireless light sources have been developed, they only operate on platforms where magnetic fields power the device, so there is a need to develop sustainable, implantable light sources that do not require external connections.

The research team conducted a study to design and fabricate a near-infrared (NIR) based wireless power generation device capable of producing sufficient power while implanted subcutaneously.

To this end, they first implemented a system that implants a power unit composed of an array of small solar cell devices with enhanced flexibility into subcutaneous tissue and generates power using near-infrared light, which has the highest skin penetration efficiency.

The light-emitting part implanted in the brain generates light flashing at a specific frequency powered by the generated electricity, enabling optogenetic brain modulation.

The research team inserted the light-emitting part that produces light at the three-dimensional coordinates of the brain region controlling the forward and backward movement of a mouse’s whiskers using stereotactic brain surgery. They induced power generation with near-infrared light and remotely operated the light source with a switch, confirming that whisker movement was accurately triggered, thereby proving that the wearable optogenetics device operates successfully in vivo.

In particular, the device design was modified and validated through animal models to ensure stable operation even in the internal environment where moisture and peristaltic movements exist.

Professor Kim Tae said, “Optogenetics is a methodology with great potential not only for precise brain modulation in neuroscience research but also for clinical applications in treating neuropsychiatric disorders,” adding, “This research is significant as a convergence study achieved by engineering and neuroscience experts working together, demonstrating that innovative solutions can emerge when different academic fields converge.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.