Abstract

The gut–brain axis (GBA) connects the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system via the peripheral nervous system and humoral (e.g., circulatory and lymphatic system) routes. The GBA comprises a sophisticated interaction between various mammalian cells, gut microbiota, and systemic factors. This interaction shapes homeostatic and pathophysiological processes and plays an important role in the etiology of many disorders including neuropsychiatric conditions. However, studying the underlying processes of GBA in vivo, where numerous confounding factors exist, is challenging. Furthermore, conventional in vitro models fall short of capturing the GBA anatomy and physiology. Here, I first briefly describe our research on engineering multifunctional electrode arrays for monitoring/modulating neural activity and electrochemical nucleic acid sensors that can operate in complex biological matrices. I then demonstrate our ongoing efforts toward implementing the described technologies into microfluidic tissue chips plated with primary rat cortical cells and vagal afferent neurons. I conclude by illustrating the versatility of the neural tissue chips for modeling various physiological phenomena broadly related to the gut-brain axis, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration, and screening for therapeutic bioactive compounds.

Biography

Erkin Şeker is a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Co-Director for the Center for Neuroengineering and Medicine, and the inaugural Chair of the Designated Emphasis in Neuroengineering. His research and teaching interests are at the intersection of micro-/nano-technology and its applications to microelectronics and medicine. He received his PhD degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Virginia (UVA) in 2007 and held postdoctoral positions in the Department of Chemistry at UVA and at the Center for Engineering in Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. He is the recipient of a UC Davis – Graduate Studies Distinguished Graduate and Postdoctoral Mentorship Award, UC Davis – Academic Senate Distinguished Graduate and Professional Teaching Award, an NSF CAREER Award, and an NIH NIBIB Trailblazer Award.