UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
Cellular Bioelectricity Lab
Generation, Transmission and Control of Neural Bioelectricity
Extracellular and intracellular electrical phenomena in nerve cells of the brain are analyzed, modelled and controlled as nonlinear dynamical systems. The main themes of
our research are within the general fields of Neural and Cellular Engineering.
The research in this laboratory is carried out in collaboration with the
"Cell and Molecular Biology Division" in the Toronto Western Research Institute, the "Thermodynamics and
Kinetics Laboratory" in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering,
and the "Intelligent Sensory Microsystems Laboratory" in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, at the University of Toronto.
I. Neural Engineering
The research deals with bioengineering of the brain.
Its purpose is (a) to characterize both "normal" and "pathological" brain electrical activities, and (b) anticipate then abolish the pathological electrical activities in the brain, such as epileptic seizures. The approach is to characterize the spatiotemporal relations of the electrical activities in neuronal populations and use cognitive devices to classify the dynamical features of the biological neural networks in the brain. The developed cognitive devices will be implemented as low-power hardware to be incorporated into the biological neural networks in a closed feedback loop. This will be used to provide implantable devices as therapeutic tools for brain disorders.
II. Cellular Engineering
The research deals with ionic transport in cellular membranes via
channels, pumps and exchangers. The Statistical Rate Theory is used to describe cellular ionic transport because it is based on discrete molecular distributions which allow for nonequilibrium conditions for the electrochemical potentials of the transport system. Coupling mechanisms via gap junctions, synapses, and/or electric fields will be investigated to elucidate the transmission of cellular bioelectricity.
Topics:
- Bioengineering of the brain.
- Prediction and control of electrical epileptic seizure activities in the brain.
- Space-time feature characterization of the brain's electrical activities.
- Biological clocks.
- Cognitive devices.
- Biological and artificial neural networks.
- Identification of nonlinear dynamical systems using parametric and nonparametric models.
- Cellular transmembrane ionic transport mechanisms.
- Intercellular coupling mechanisms.
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