University of Pittsburgh

Carnegie Mellon University

Xinyan Cui

Mingui Sun

Nicolas Alexander Alba

Noah Snyder

Gary Keith Fedder

O Burak Ozdoganlar

Douglas John Weber

Takashi Daniel Yoshida Kozai

Peter J Gilgunn

Kasey Catt

Cassandra Weaver

Xiliang Luo

James Eles

Erdrin Azemi

Bin Cao

Carl F Lagenaur

Ian Mitchell Taylor

Kevin M Woeppel

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a conductive polymer doped with silica nanoparticles. In several embodiments, a coated electrode comprising a coating of the conductive polymer on a conductive surface of the electrode is provided. In some embodiments, the silica nanoparticles of the conductive polymer are mesoporous and are loaded with a pharmaceutical agent. Methods of using the conductive polymer doped with silica nanoparticles are also provided, including methods of recording or stimulating a bioelectric signal and methods of administering a pharmaceutical agent to a subject.

Silica nanoparticle doped conductive polymer

A composition includes at least one polymer doped with graphene oxide to induce conductivity in the polymer and at least one agent immobilized at least one of (i) on graphene oxide extending from the surface of the composite material or (ii) within the composite material.

Conductive polymer graphene oxide composite materials

An electrode system include a flowable and cohesive surface contact element comprising a hydrophilic polymer swollen with an electrolyte fluid, the contact element having a Q' ratio of at least 5 as defined by the equation wherein Wis the dry weight of the hydrophilic polymer and Wis weight of water in the sample after absorption of the electrolyte fluid comprising water and an electrolyte salt. The surface contact element can consist essentially of the hydrophilic polymer swollen by the electrolyte fluid. Another electrode system includes a contact element including a crosslinked hydrophilic polymer matrix. The contact element has a Q&#x2032; ratio of at least 5 as defined by the equation The contact elements can also have a Q&#x2032; ratio of at least 6, at least 7, at least 10 or even at least 11.

Electrode systems, devices and methods

Disclosed herein is a method of determining dopamine concentration at a target location in neural tissue. In several embodiments, the method comprises measuring current level in response to square wave voltammetry with a coated electrode of a neural probe implanted at the target location, wherein the coated electrode comprises a coating of poly 3,4 ethylene dioxythiophene (PEDOT) doped with negatively charged carbon nanotubes (CNT), and comparing the measured current level to a control current level to determine the dopamine concentration at the target location.

PEDOT/CNT coated neural recording probes for measurement of tonic and phasic dopamine

A method of forming a compound having the formula (I'): (I&#x2032;) includes the reaction: (II&#x2032;) in the presence of a base, wherein X is a halo atom selected from the group consisting of Cl, Br and I. 

Synthesis of functionalizable or functionalized poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiphene)-based polymers and monomers therefor

Disclosed herein are novel amine-functionalized porphyrin compounds, as wells as pharmaceutically acceptable salts or esters thereof. The disclosed compounds can be used to impart antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and/or cell-adhesion specificity to a surface or material in need thereof, such as a surface of an indwelling medical implant, or a marine surface.

Antioxidant compounds and their use

A composition includes a composite material including at least one conducting polymer doped with graphene oxide and at least one agent immobilized at least one of (i) on graphene oxide extending from the surface of the composite material or (ii) within the composite material.

Apparatus and method for surgeon-assisted rapid surgical implantation of devices into soft tissue. The apparatus comprises several subsystems that enable the referencing of the spatial position and orientation of the device being implanted with respect to the soft tissue into which it is being implanted and then the controlled implantation of the device at a predefined speed with higher positional accuracy and precision and a reduction in soft tissue damage, provided by ultrasonic assisted motion, compared to current state-of-the-art implantation methods and devices. The method includes automated loading of the device being implanted into a clamping mechanism from a cartridge holding a number of implants, referencing of the device position and orientation, referencing of the surface of the tissue into which the device is being implanted, monitoring of the tissue motion, identification of desirable implant location based on the soft tissue profile, allowance of surgeon selection and fine adjustment of the final implant location, high-speed implantation, device release and implant actuator retraction.

Apparatus and method for implantation of devices into soft tissue

An electrode system include a flowable and cohesive surface contact element comprising a hydrophilic polymer swollen with an electrolyte fluid, the contact element having a Q' ratio of at least 5 as defined by the equation wherein Wis the dry weight of the hydrophilic polymer and Wis weight of water in the sample after absorption of the electrolyte fluid comprising water and an electrolyte salt. The surface contact element can consist essentially of the hydrophilic polymer swollen by the electrolyte fluid. Another electrode system includes a contact element including a crosslinked hydrophilic polymer matrix. The contact element has a Q&#x2032; ratio of at least 5 as defined by the equation  The contact elements can also have a Q&#x2032; ratio of at least 6, at least 7, at least 10 or even at least 11.

Disclosed herein are neural probes comprising an L1 polypeptide functional fragment thereof on the exterior surface of the probe, devices including such electrodes, and methods of their use. The disclosed embodiments are useful, for example, for in methods of recording and/or stimulating neural signals in a subject.

Growing community of inventors

Wexford, PA, United States of America

Xinyan Cui