# Subcellular Wireless Axons for in vivo Localized Neuronal Excitation

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2024 · $321,227

## Abstract

Project Summary
 This BRG R01 (PAR-16-242) application aims to greatly improved spatial and temporal resolution:
Penetrating electrical stimulation arrays are a crucial component of basic neuroscience research and human
neuroprosthetics. A challenge with this technology is achieving a highly localized stimulated area of the same
neurons over weeks and months. However, implantation of cortical microelectrodes causes a reactive tissue
response, which results in a degradation of the preferred functional performance over time, thus limiting the
device capabilities. Current electrical stimulation implants are tethered to the skull, which chronically increases
the impact of mechanical mismatch, causes neural degeneration around the implant, increases the chance of
infection, increases the chance of mechanical trauma induced failure as well as shifting of the electrode
position, and increases in electrical impedances from glial scarring. In turn, the electrical stimulation loses its
effectiveness to excite neural tissue, making longevity a challenge. Simply increasing the electrical current to
compensate can lead to permenant damage to the tissue and/or the electrode.
 This proposal proves an innovative strategy that uses leading-edge biocompatible materials to develop
innovative “Wireless Axon” electrodes that are ultra-small and untethered, with bioactive surfaces and
nanostructured materials for enhanced signal transduction to electrically excitable tissue. The project aims to
decouple the mechanical requirements necessary in traditional microstimulation technology and improve
spatial selectivity of activated neurons for stable long-term electrical stimulation. The guiding hypothesis is that
decoupling the mechanical tether will improve tissue integration, while immobilized biomolecules will effectively
intervene with the reactive tissue response as well as improve electrode-neuron signal-coupling and selectivity.
 This project is likely to make significant contributions through developing advanced neural probes for long-
term (permanent), high quality, and selective neural stimulation. These could potentially lead to paradigm shifts
in both neuroscience research and clinical neuroprosthetics and neurostimulation through creating the
capability of activating specific neurons for long periods of time with great precision. Our guiding hypothesis is
that the product of the combined benefit is synergistic and greater than the sum of its parts. The outcomes of
this project are also likely to establish new biologically inspired paradigms for creating long-lasting, high-fidelity
neural interfaces with biomimetic materials as well as new paradigms for longitudinally probing neural circuits,
particularly for the study of learning and plasticity. Several variations of the technology developed in this project
is expected to be compatible with optogenetics. This project would impact both the neuroscience research
community, and clinical scientists (neurosurgeons...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10753444
- **Project number:** 5R01NS105691-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **Principal Investigator:** Takashi Daniel Yoshida Kozai
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $321,227
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-12-15 → 2025-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10753444

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10753444, Subcellular Wireless Axons for in vivo Localized Neuronal Excitation (5R01NS105691-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-14 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10753444. Licensed CC0.

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