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e-Flower records neuronal activity with electronic petals

e-Flower records neuronal activity with electronic petals

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By Wisse Hettinga



EPFL researchers have developed a novel neural recording device called the “e-Flower” that gently wraps organoids in soft petals

Neural spheroids — 3D clusters of brain cells — are emerging as essential tools for understanding neural networks and studying neurological diseases in the lab. EPFL’s e-Flower, a flower-shaped 3D microelectrode array (MEA), allows researchers to monitor the electrical activity of these spheroids in a way that was previously impossible. This breakthrough, published in Science Advances, lays the groundwork for more sophisticated research on brain organoids, which are complex, miniaturized models of brain tissues.

Our flexible technology makes it possible to get accurate recordings without damaging the 3D neural models.

Stéphanie P. Lacour

“The e-Flower lets us record neural activity from much more of the surface of neural spheroids in real-time — something that wasn’t possible with earlier tools. Our flexible technology makes it possible to get accurate recordings without damaging the 3D neural models, giving us a better understanding of how their complex circuits work,” says Stéphanie P. Lacour, lead author of the paper and head of the Laboratory for Soft Bioelectronic Interfaces (LSBI) at the Neuro X Institute.

Why neural spheroids?

“We focused on neural spheroids for this study because they provide a straightforward and accessible model,” says Eleonora Martinelli, one of the lead researchers on the project.

Neural spheroids are three-dimensional clusters of neurons that replicate some of the key functions of brain tissue. They are simpler than organoids, which contain multiple cell types and more closely mimic the brain. The LSBI team at Campus Biotech worked in collaboration with Luc Stoppini and Adrien Roux at the Tissue Engineering Laboratory (HEPIA-HESGE), researchers with long-standing experience with neural spheroids electrophysiology.

“Spheroids are relatively easy to produce and manipulate in the lab, which makes them ideal for early-stage testing,” Martinelli continues. “However, our goal is to eventually apply the e-Flower to brain organoids, which more accurately model brain development and disorders.”

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