The brain’s neural networks pulse with electrical and chemical signals in a complex web of communication that has long challenged medical science. American University Associate Professor of Chemistry and Neuroscience Alexander Zestos and his colleagues at Spike Neuro, a biotech company based in Ann Arbor, Mich., are developing ways to simultaneously track and interpret these signals to help doctors treat patients with debilitating neurological conditions. To advance this critical work, the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health has awarded the team nearly $1 million in funding.

"We understand that neurochemical and electrophysiological dynamics are tightly connected. Studying them together has been incredibly challenging due to a lack of proper tools," explained Zestos. "Collaborating with Spike Neuro will make it possible to overcome these barriers and create advanced tools that can be used to further research and clinical applications."

Zestos and Spike Neuro will develop sensors that can correlate neurochemical events with changes in electrical activity in the brain. Today’s sensors monitor either chemical or electrical pulses separately. The lack of sensors to monitor both at the same time has hindered advancements to treat conditions such as Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, and depression.

“Spike Neuro was founded to help translate academic neuroscience research into practical tools for research and clinical settings. The partnership with Prof. Zestos was motivated by the need for better, more versatile tools for studying brain function, as well as the desire to commercialize the technology and make it widely accessible to researchers and clinicians,” said Spike Neuro Chief Clinical Officer Charla Howard. “Dual-function electrodes and more reliable probe designs are foundational to studying the brain's complex activities and developing more effective medical interventions.”

Zestos brings his expertise in creating neurochemical sensors using carbon-based probes. Collaborating with Spike Neuro will advance the probes by integrating them with electrodes that measure electrical activity, all within a biocompatible material like silicon carbide, which minimizes immune response and tissue damage. The partnership aims to develop two types of sensors: carbon-modified silicon microelectrodes (SiMEs) and silicon-carbide microelectrodes (4H-SiC) for more durable, sensitive, faster, biocompatible, and minimally invasive measurements in the brain. 

The use of advanced materials also allows for ever-smaller electrodes, which can record more data from different parts of the brain without causing harm. Most available probes for neurochemical monitoring are handmade, and as a result, they are inconsistent in quality and harder to manufacture and mass-produce. The goal for Spike Neuro and Zestos is to create a batch-production process that maintains quality and allows for scalability and commercialization. Part of the team’s funding will go toward researching potential customers and how to design the novel sensors to meet customers’ needs.