SBIR-STTR Award

Instruments for Micro-Magnetic Stimulation of the Brain in Animals
Award last edited on: 9/14/17

Sponsored Program
SBIR
Awarding Agency
NIH : NIMH
Total Award Amount
$667,160
Award Phase
2
Solicitation Topic Code
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Principal Investigator
Nicholas T Mesires

Company Information

FHC Inc

1201 Main Street
Bowdoin, ME 04287
   (207) 666-8190
   N/A
   www.fh-co.com
Location: Multiple
Congr. District: 01
County: Sagadahoc

Phase I

Contract Number: 1R43MH107037-01A1
Start Date: 2/25/15    Completed: 1/31/17
Phase I year
2015
Phase I Amount
$317,160
We propose to evaluate the functionality, MRI- and bio-compatibility of probes for microscopic magnetic stimulation (mMS), a new brain stimulation technology. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that the orientation of the applied ¿MS fields (relative to the excitable tissue) provides unique activation of neuronal elements not seen with traditional electrical stimulation, a property that can be leveraged to improve experimental or therapeutic goals. This information will be used to develop a new product line for animal neuroscience research. These findings will provide a rationale for the further exploration of ¿MS as a prospective tool for clinical and preclinical applications which will be commercialized by FHC, a company with a 42-year history of successfully marketing to the research neuroscience market. The goal will be to further stimulate both development of ¿MS technology as well as the understanding of brain function.

Public Health Relevance Statement:


Public Health Relevance:
Electrical and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) have proven beneficial for patients suffering from a range of neurological disorders in spite of a number of efficacy, safety and practical limitations which exist for these therapies. The proposed microscopic magnetic stimulation (�MS) research system utilizes a novel neuronal stimulation pathway and may have implications for the design of new and improved stimulation therapies. The products (probes and generator) will be commercialized by FHC who will actively market it to research and clinical neuroscience customers.

Project Terms:
absorption; Acute; Animal Experimentation; Animals; base; biomaterial compatibility; Brain; brain tissue; Cephalic; Characteristics; Clinic; Clinical; clinical application; Communities; Data; design; Development; Dystonia; Electric Stimulation; Electromagnetics; Electrophysiology (science); Elements; Essential Tremor; Film; Funding; Gel; Goals; Heating; Human; Immune response; improved; in vivo; Inferior Colliculus; instrument; Life; magnetic field; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Magnetism; Major Depressive Disorder; Marketing; Metals; Methods; Microelectrodes; Microscopic; Modeling; Modification; nervous system disorder; Nervous System Physiology; neural circuit; neuronal circuitry; Neurons; Neurosciences; Neurosciences Research; new technology; novel; Parkinson Disease; Pathway interactions; Patients; Performance; Phase; Physiologic pulse; Polymers; pre-clinical; Preparation; Printing; programs; Property; prospective; prototype; public health relevance; Publishing; Recording of previous events; Relative (related person); Research; Research Design; Research Personnel; response; Response Latencies; Rodent; Safety; simulation; Stimulus; stroke; Structure of dorsal cochlear nucleus; success; Surface; Synapses; System; systems research; Technology; Temperature; Testing; Therapeutic; Tissues; tool; Transcranial magnetic stimulation; Translating; validation studies;

Phase II

Contract Number: 5R43MH107037-02
Start Date: 2/25/15    Completed: 1/31/17
Phase II year
2016
Phase II Amount
$350,000
We propose to evaluate the functionality, MRI- and bio-compatibility of probes for microscopic magnetic stimulation (mMS), a new brain stimulation technology. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that the orientation of the applied �MS fields (relative to the excitable tissue) provides unique activation of neuronal elements not seen with traditional electrical stimulation, a property that can be leveraged to improve experimental or therapeutic goals. This information will be used to develop a new product line for animal neuroscience research. These findings will provide a rationale for the further exploration of �MS as a prospective tool for clinical and preclinical applications which will be commercialized by FHC, a company with a 42-year history of successfully marketing to the research neuroscience market. The goal will be to further stimulate both development of �MS technology as well as the understanding of brain function.

Public Health Relevance Statement:


Public Health Relevance:
Electrical and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) have proven beneficial for patients suffering from a range of neurological disorders in spite of a number of efficacy, safety and practical limitations which exist for these therapies. The proposed microscopic magnetic stimulation (�MS) research system utilizes a novel neuronal stimulation pathway and may have implications for the design of new and improved stimulation therapies. The products (probes and generator) will be commercialized by FHC who will actively market it to research and clinical neuroscience customers.

NIH Spending Category:
Bioengineering; Mental Health; Neurosciences

Project Terms:
absorption; Acute; Animal Experimentation; Animals; base; biomaterial compatibility; Brain; brain tissue; Cephalic; Characteristics; Clinic; Clinical; clinical application; Communities; Data; design; Development; dorsal cochlear nucleus; Dystonia; Electric Stimulation; Electromagnetics; Electrophysiology (science); Elements; Essential Tremor; Film; Funding; Gel; Goals; Health; Heating; Human; Immune response; improved; in vivo; Inferior Colliculus; instrument; Life; magnetic field; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Magnetism; Major Depressive Disorder; Marketing; Metals; Methods; Microelectrodes; Microscopic; Modeling; Modification; nervous system disorder; Nervous System Physiology; neural circuit; neuronal circuitry; Neurons; Neurosciences; Neurosciences Research; new technology; novel; Parkinson Disease; Pathway interactions; Patients; Performance; Phase; Physiologic pulse; Polymers; pre-clinical; Preparation; Printing; programs; Property; prospective; prototype; Publishing; Recording of previous events; Research; Research Design; Research Personnel; response; Response Latencies; Rodent; Safety; simulation; Stimulus; stroke; success; Surface; Synapses; System; systems research; Technology; Temperature; Testing; Therapeutic; Tissues; tool; Transcranial magnetic stimulation; Translating; validation studie