Company Filing History:
Years Active: 2019
Title: **Innovator Spotlight: Dennis Turner and the Flat Optogenetic Cuff Interface**
Introduction
Dennis Turner is an accomplished inventor based in Cary, North Carolina. He is recognized for his significant contribution to the field of optogenetics, particularly through his innovative patent related to interfacing with peripheral nerves.
Latest Patents
Turner holds a patent for the Flat Optogenetic Cuff Interface (FOCI) designed for a single nerve fascicle within the peripheral nervous system. The FOCI is optimized for functional optical stimulation of genetically modified axons, enabling researchers and medical professionals to either excite or inhibit nerve activity. This cutting-edge technology can reshape a single fascicle's height between 0.2 mm and 0.5 mm, carefully reorganizing individual axons without causing damage. The FOCI is particularly valuable in its ability to facilitate stimulation across the full cross-section of the reshaped fascicle, maintaining compliance with pulsed laser energy power limitations. Additionally, the device can incorporate an electrical interface to monitor nerve activity, enabling closed-loop feedback and enhancing multifunctional capabilities.
Career Highlights
Dennis Turner is currently employed at Teledyne Scientific and Imaging, LLC, where he collaborates on various advanced research initiatives aimed at revolutionizing medical technology. His work has significant implications for prosthetic devices, potentially helping to restore lost sensory and motor functions, augmenting human capabilities, and modulating autonomic functions.
Collaborations
Throughout his career, Turner has worked alongside esteemed colleagues, including Stephen Simons and Jiangying Zhou. These collaborations have fostered a dynamic environment for innovation and research, further enhancing the impact of their collective work in the field of neuroscience and bioengineering.
Conclusion
Dennis Turner's contributions to the realm of optogenetics through his patent on the Flat Optogenetic Cuff Interface mark a notable advancement in medical technology. His innovative approach in reshaping nerve fascicles for functional stimulation holds tremendous promise for enhancing medical treatments and restoring functionalities to those in need.