NSF Award
2330705
The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a life science research tool designed to improve ex-vivo electroretinography. The electroretinogram (ERG) is a full field electrophysiological technique that measures light-evoked activity in a variety of retinal tissues. This technique is used to give an overview of retinal health and viability, and can be used in conjunction with pharmaceuticals, stem cells, and transplantation. Currently available devices, however, fail due to the formation of bubbles in the enclosed chamber. These bubbles can impede the path between the tissue and electrodes. The proposed device eliminates a common source of bubble adhesion and may reduce experimental waste. In addition, the proposed device may be used with tissues of different shapes and sizes including mouse, rabbit, zebrafish and human tissue. The proposed device may improve the quality and reliability of data in retinal electrophysiology, supporting advancements in the understanding and potential treatment of retinal diseases and provide a valuable addition to the toolkit of vision research. <br/><br/>This I-Corps project is based on the development of a device designed to improve ex-vivo electroretinography in dissected biological tissue. Rod and cone photoreceptors hyperpolarize in the presence of light and are experimentally detectable using electroretinograms (ERGs). ERGs may be performed using an ex vivo configuration, where retinas are isolated and transretinal photovoltages are recorded at high signal-to-noise ratios. The proposed device design adds a taper to the junction between the perfusion port and the tissue chamber and eliminates a common source of failure due to bubble adhesion. Tests of the device showed a reduced experimental failure rate from 1 out of every 5 experiments to 1 out of every 20. In addition, initial testing of this device allowed recording signals as small as 5 microvolts. The proposed device may enhance the practicality and efficiency of retinal electrophysiology research while supporting a variety of experimental setups, enhancing its potential usefulness across a range of vision research studies.<br/><br/>This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
