Developing a sensor to monitor brain-to-gut communication

PROJECT SUMMARY Dysregulation of neural control over gastrointestinal (GI) function is the principal cause of many digestive and metabolic disorders. While significant strides have been made in uncovering the molecular and cellular constituents of signals traveling from the gut to the brain, the reciprocal brain-to-gut communication remains largely unknown. Researchers are severely limited by the lack of specialized tools to study GI function. In response to this critical need, the overall objective in this proposal is to develop an implantable sensor enabling precise examination of gastric motility in small animal models. Towards this goal, the proposed research leverages recent breakthroughs in stretchable bio-electronics to address two specific aims: 1) Developing a miniature implantable, wireless device for chronic monitoring of gastric motility in awake, freely moving mice; 2) Employing optogenetic and microfluidic techniques to manipulate stomach activity and modulate motility . This application is poised to introduce groundbreaking methodologies for exploring the neural regulation of gastric motility, and, in the long-term, provide therapeutic strategies to alleviate gastroparesis.