# Nanoparticle Coated Microelectrode Arrays for Electrochemically Controlled Gene Editing at the Electrode Site

> **NIH NIH F32** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2024 · $83,784

## Abstract

Abstract
Microelectrode arrays (MEAs) have great potential for therapeutic use in direct brain-computer interface (BCI)
control of robotic prostheses to improve the lives of patients suffering from debilitating conditions related to loss
of limbs or limb function. MEAs also have the potential to restore loss of sensory perception in vision, hearing,
and tactile sensation by applying patterned current stimulation to sensory neurons. As promising as these
therapies are, there is a major shortcoming to the current state of the art in implanted MEAs in that their recording
and stimulation quality degrades over time, and the implants eventually become non-functional. Their use as
therapeutic devices to treat chronic conditions that persist for the patient's life requires MEAs that are stable over
decades rather than months to years. The underlying mechanisms leading to failure for chronically implanted
MEAs have yet to be fully elucidated. One candidate is degradation of the electrode or insulation material leading
to mechanical device failure. Another important factor is the host foreign body response. Inflammation due to
activation of microglia and astrocytes can lead to gliosis and the formation of a “glial scar” encapsulating the
device and preventing efficient recording and stimulation of neurons. Recently, gene therapy-based interventions
using CRISPR/Cas systems for gene knockout have shown great promise in modifying the immune response.
Recent work in the Cui lab has shown the efficacy of using functionalized silica nanoparticles (SNPs) as a
versatile surface modification for microelectrodes. MEAs coated with polyethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT)/SNP
have improved electrochemical properties over standard bare metal electrodes and the capacity to be loaded
with therapeutic compounds due to their porous structure with a high surface area. These properties make MEAs
coated with PEDOT/SNP an ideal platform for highly targeted gene delivery, as the silica nanoparticles can be
efficiently loaded with DNA. This proposal aims to develop this technology to efficiently gene modify microglia
locally around implanted MEAs to reduce inflammation and to measure the effect of inflammation on recording
quality and stimulation efficiency, as well as long-term device stability. In addition, I will investigate how changes
in the foreign body response affect the remodeling of tissue surrounding the implant. I will take the approach of
loading SNP coated MEAs with DNA encoding CRISPR gene therapy vectors targeting inflammatory pathways
in microglia. The CRISPR vectors will be electrochemically delivered to cells directly interfacing with the
implanted devices. The development of this technology has great potential to enhance the therapeutic value of
implanted devices by increasing their performance and longevity by reducing inflammation and gliosis and to
increase our fundamental understanding of how the brain responds to implanted devices. Once established, this
tec...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10876236
- **Project number:** 5F32MH132145-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **Principal Investigator:** NATHANIEL P WILLIAMS
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $83,784
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-06-01 → 2026-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10876236

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10876236, Nanoparticle Coated Microelectrode Arrays for Electrochemically Controlled Gene Editing at the Electrode Site (5F32MH132145-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10876236. Licensed CC0.

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