(5dp) Developing Novel Neural Tissue Engineering Platform and Neuro-Electronic Interface Via Soft-Material-Based Nanostructures

For my Ph.D. research at the Northwestern University, I studied the design and synthesis of organic/polymeric semiconductors and their applications for thin-film transistor devices. More specifically, I investigated how chemical modifications of thiophene, perylene diimide, or naphthalene diimide moieties in the conjugated core affect the lowest-unoccupied-molecular-level (LUMO) energy and, thereby, electron conduction in thin crystalline films made of these compounds. I also developed nanoscale dielectric materials based on self-assembled multilayers and crosslinked polymers. Using these, I demonstrated how molecular polarizability can be utilized for increasing dielectric constant and capacitance and also realized organic thin-film transistors with an unprecedented ultra-low voltage operation.

My current postdoctoral research at Harvard University has broadened my fundamental knowledge of biophysics and nanotechnology and their applications to neurobiology. In the Park lab, I have focused on two projects. First, I have been working on the design and fabrication of neuro-electronic devices to interface with mesoscale neuronal networks. I have developed a planar-patch clamp array that has the capability of probing up to 100 individual neurons simultaneously. In conjunction with concurrent optical imaging, this neuro-electronic device will be used to map individual neuronal activity as well as the spatiotemporal dynamics within a given neuronal network. Currently, I am establishing protocols for culturing patterned neurons on the planar-patch array for in situ electrophysiological measurements. Second, I have been involved in a project utilizing patterned arrays of silicon nanowires for the site-specific manipulation of cellular function. Specifically, I played a crucial role in delineating the nature of the interactions between these silicon nanowires and the cells being modified using optical sectioning microscopy. Furthermore, I studied how nanowire density and surface chemistry influence cell membrane penetration kinetics.

In my faculty years, I intend to develop a research program directed toward: 1) developing novel nanostructured soft-materials and investigating biophysical interactions between these nanostructures and neural systems, 2) probing fundamental biological questions (e.g., can neural progenitor cell differentiation be selectively guided, how does adult neurogenesis alter existing neuronal network connectivity and function, how is neuronal network connectivity modulated by various external stimuli), and 3) translating these findings into biomedical applications (e.g., neural prosthetics/stimulator and regenerative medicine) which utilize these soft-material-based nanostructures. I envision that the proposed research will enable me to maximize the known and yet to be discovered benefits of using nanostructures and synthetic polymers for biomedical applications in neural engineering, while minimizing their drawbacks. Furthermore, I believe that my diverse research experiences will enable me to work on a number of interesting interdisciplinary projects with collaborators in the Department of Biomedical/Neural Engineering and Neuroscience.