# Lab-To-Marketplace: Commercialization of a stretchable microelectrode array

> **NIH NIH R44** · BMSEED, LLC · 2020 · $95,200

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
The proposed work is directed at the commercialization of BMSEED's Micro-Electrode Array Stretching
Stimulating und Recording Equipment (MEASSuRE) technology. MEASSuRE bridges the gap between in vitro
and in vivo research by simulating the biomechanical and electrical environment of cells in the body in a
controlled environment outside of the body. The applications for MEASSuRE fall in two categories: physiological
and pathological stretch of cells. In physiological stretch, the cells are stretched within their healthy limits,
replicating the complexity of the human body in a controlled in vitro environment. When mechanical stretching
or electrical stimulation is applied to human derived stem cells during differentiation, the resulting organs or
tissue more closely replicate the complexity of the adult human than the embryonic one, thus (a) increasing the
predictive value of toxicity and efficacy drug tests prior to human clinical trials in Organ-on-a-Chip models, and
(b) improving the quality of tissue grafts in regenerative medicine applications. In pathological stretch, the cells
are stretched beyond the healthy limit, causing a trauma that negatively impacts tissue function or leads to cell
death. In traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord jury (SCI), the primary biomechanical mechanism for the
alteration of neural electrophysiology is the deformation of the brain tissue and spinal cord, respectively.
MEASSuRE reproduces the biomechanics of a TBI and SCI in a controlled environment in vitro, and the injury
level of the stretched neurons can be directly assessed. MEASSuRE could therefore be a screening platform to
assess the efficacy of drugs and other treatment strategies for neurotraumatic injuries. The capabilities to
mechanically and electrically interface with cells are enabled by incorporating BMSEED's proprietary elastically
stretchable microelectrode array (sMEA), which is based on technology patented by Princeton University and
exclusively licensed to BMSEED LLC. The goal for Phase I was to develop a commercial process to fabricate
the sMEA. The goal of Phase II is to integrate the sMEA with the required hardware to develop MEASSuRE as
a complete, convenient, and efficient system. Specifically, this proposal has three aims. The first specific aim is
the development and bench-testing of an engineering prototype of MEASSuRE. The focus of this aim is to ensure
the components in the MEASSuRE prototype work together smoothly. This work will be carried out in the
BMSEED laboratory. The second specific aim is the validation of MEASSuRE for the TBI application using
hippocampal tissue slices. The performance of MEASSuRE will be validated and compared against industry
standards at the Morrison Neurotrauma and Repair Laboratory at Columbia University. The third specific aim is
to conduct product prototype testing of MEASSuRE. Three independent laboratories will evaluate MEASSuRE
for different applications: (1) TBI ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10071293
- **Project number:** 3R44NS086118-04S1
- **Recipient organization:** BMSEED, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** Oliver Graudejus
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $95,200
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2014-07-15 → 2020-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10071293

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10071293, Lab-To-Marketplace: Commercialization of a stretchable microelectrode array (3R44NS086118-04S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10071293. Licensed CC0.

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