====== About IN-FET ======
[[Start]] - **About** - [[Consortium]] - [[Events]] - [[Press & Dissemination]]
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**IN-FET** (//Ionic Neuromodulation For Epilepsy Treatment//) is an ambitious Research and Innovation project, funded by the [[https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en|European Commission]] within its [[https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/h2020-section/future-and-emerging-technologies|Future Emerging Technologies]] Horizon 2020's programme. It officially started in January 2020, with intense exchanges and kick-off initiatives by the members of its [[consortium]]: **SISSA**, **IBM Research Zurich**, **IUNET**, **Univ. of Geneva**, **Univ. of Maastricht**, **Univ. of Sheffield**, and **Multichannel Systems GmBH**.

IN-FET was conceived from the growing need for a paradigm shift, in the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy and other brain disorders more in general. Several routes have been explored to **modulate** or **silence dysfunctional neural circuits**, through genetic, electrical, magnetic or optical means. All have serious limitations due to the __unphysiological__ mechanisms used to regulate neuronal activity. 

**In IN-FET, we address this issue by manipulating the elementary building blocks of cell excitability: //ions//.**

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IN-FET tackles a visionary idea: //altering neuronal firing and synaptic transmission by direct ionic actuation// at the microscopic scale, while monitoring cell responses by //arrays of nanoscale transistors//. We aim at developing and testing, //in vitro//, electro-activated polymers able to trap or release specific ions in the extracellular milieu surrounding neurons. These will be integrated with ion sensors and ultra-sensitive nanowire arrays, offering closed-loop regulation of cellular electrical activity.

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Are you on a hurry and want to learn the basics of neurobiology? Watch below some excellent introductory 2 minute videos on epilepsy, neurons, ions and electrical potentials, authored by a very good [[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUgZq9PkDp1xaEivtcfJPSg|YouTuber]].

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Throughout its trajectory, the IN-FET project will deliver for the first time a device that can **physiologically modulate the neuronal membrane potential**, the synaptic release probability, and glutamatergic NMDA receptors activation by altering potassium, calcium, and magnesium ionic concentrations in a controlled and spatially- confined manner. High-resolution simultaneous probing of cell activity will be performed by Si-nanowire vertical transistors, penetrating the membranes and detecting the cell electrical activity at unprecedented spatial and temporal resolutions. In conclusion, IN-FET's multidisciplinary consortium brings together state-of-the-art electrochemistry, 3-d nanofabrication, nanoelectronics, and numerical simulations, and combines neuronal biophysics to device modeling. 

IN-FET will thus ultimately establish the proof-of-principle for a breakthrough biocompatible neuromodulation technology, with a clear impact for future brain implants for epilepsy treatment, advancing neuroscience, biomedical microsystems engineering, and nano- neurotechnology.


**Download {{infet_leaflet_final.pdf|here}} our 2-page flyer, meant for public dissemination!**

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[[Start]] - **About** - [[Consortium]] - [[Events]] - [[Press & Dissemination]]
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