# Remote Electromagnetic Control of Neural Activity for Treatment of Parkinson's Disease

> **NIH NIH R01** · ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $660,048

## Abstract

Project Summary
 In this collaborative and interdisciplinary application, we propose to develop further a novel non-invasive
method for cell regulation (NICR) that is suitable for preclinical proof of concept studies. This technology
potentially could be used to treat neurologic diseases and provide a less invasive alternative to deep brain
stimulation (DBS) or optogenetics. We thus propose to refine the technology and develop a prototype device to
test the use of NICR for the treatment of symptoms of Parkinson's Disease (PD) in mice. Cell activity is
controlled by two components; the iron binding ferritin protein that spontaneously forms 5 nm iron
nanoparticles and TRPV1, a temperature and mechano-sensitive channel. By tethering ferritin to TRPV1, one
can gate the channel with radiofrequency (RF) (which heat or induce mechanical motion of ferritin) or a magnet
(which induces motion). The method has been shown to be capable of controlling neural activity in vitro and in
vivo, the latter by increasing neural firing. In addition, we have introduced a mutation into TRPV1 that converts
it into a chloride channel, and the use of the mutant channel makes it possible to inhibit neural activity using
electromagnetic waves (e.g., RF). Because the system is genetically encoded, one can regulate the activity of
cells into which the two protein components of the system have been delivered by recombinant Adeno-
Associated Virus (AAV) strains. AAV has been used in numerous human studies including patients with PD.
Thus NICR could provide a less invasive alternative to implanted electrodes (DBS) or implanted light devices
(optogenetics) for the modulation of neural activity (deep brain stimulation) and also be used to simultaneously
control several different nodes in a neural circuit.
 In this application, we propose a set of preclinical proof-of-concept studies for the treatment of PD
including: 1) refinement of the technology to improve its efficiency and to create suitable AAV strains to
ameliorate the symptoms of PD. We also propose to increase the sensitivity of the system by using channels
that can be gated with lower field strength and by identifying variants of ferritin with enhanced sensitivity to an
electromagnetic field; 2) development of a prototype device that would create local electromagnetic fields of
suitable strength with the aim of enabling the use of the method in routine laboratory settings and ultimately as
a portable/wearable device; 3) testing the ability of the improved method and suitable instrumentation to
alleviate the symptoms of PD in mice; and 4) creating knockin mice with cre dependent expression of the
constructs to assess the safety of long term TRPV1 and ferritin expression. The validation of this technology
could also lead to its use for the treatment of other diseases at sites within and outside the nervous system to
either increase or decrease cell activity or regulate protein production. Finally, the further development of...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9890014
- **Project number:** 5R01NS097184-05
- **Recipient organization:** ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Jonathan S. Dordick
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $660,048
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-07-01 → 2022-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9890014

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9890014, Remote Electromagnetic Control of Neural Activity for Treatment of Parkinson's Disease (5R01NS097184-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9890014. Licensed CC0.

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