STTR Phase I: Neuromodulation by Electromagnetic (EM) Energy-Induced Hypersound

Award ID: 2136383

The broader impact of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project proposes to develop a new way to block pain in the human body. This new technology offers the potential for a novel, less invasive, lower cost, non-addicting solution to pain relief. The project develops a device to be applied near or on the skin, significantly penetrating the tissue to inhibit pain. The primary market is to provide relief from back pain, which affects more than 100 M Americans. Other potential markets include pain suppression from peripheral wounds, neuralgias, migraine, cancer, diabetes-related neuropathies, and degenerative diseases, such as the rheumatoid group. This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I Project proposes a new approach to noninvasively modulate selected neural tissues to block pain by known principles of neurological competitive inhibition. The technology employs electromagnetic energy in a novel electrostrictive mode of action within the dielectric nature of cellular media to remotely evoke ultrasound as well as higher frequency hypersound forces in-situ. These induced forces are hypothesized to result in biological effects through the well-known action of cellular stretch activation. This project will further develop instrumentation to produce unique microwave device designs and determine the effects of microwave variables on neuromodulation. The research institution will apply the developed instrumentation on rat and neuronal cell models to define the important operating parameters for ensuring therapeutic safety and efficacy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Program Director: Edward Chinchoy