Enhancing high-throughput neurophysiology research through multiwell, multielectrode array capability

Diseases and injuries in the brain, spinal cord or associated nervous system cells have some of the most severe implications for patients. Coupled with this, there is a significant cost to healthcare systems in treating these disorders. There are currently no cures, meaning this is a critical clinical goal for research.

Research into these diseases is often based on isolated cultures of cells. These cultures are where cells are extracted from the target organ and grown in a lab in a dish. This allows scientists to mimic injury and disease processes in simpler systems than found in the body. Specific injury processes can be easily observed and any positive impact of therapy also measured.

Currently, assessment of the models is largely achieved using microscopy and visualisation of cell behaviour. Whilst this is a powerful technique, some cells (for example those found in the brain and spinal cord) carry out their functions by electrical communication. This electrical communication is often disturbed or lost in disease and injuries so careful monitoring of it can provide important information relating to the disease/injury.

The funding we are requesting will allow us to grow cells in a dish as normal, but by using a new system - a multielectrode array - we will also be able to measure the electrical communication in the cell cultures. This will be key when studying diseases of electrically active cells and researching whether new therapies can restore the electrical communication required for function.