Blood-Brain Nexus: Chip-based Diagnostic Platform for Translating Interactive Bloodborne Factors and Neural Dynamics into Neurotherapeutics

In the intricate tapestry of the human brain, where billions of neurons interweave to form a complex network of interconnected ensembles, lies the enigma of our cognitive functions, memories, and behaviors. The symphony of cooperative neuronal assemblies encodes and retains information, evolving with experience and adapting in the face of diseases. However, this melody can become discordant, as evidenced by altered neural network activity during aging and in neurodegenerative diseases, even in preclinical stages, posing a formidable challenge to the scientific and medical communities. The confluence of aging and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), unveils a complex web of multiscale processes encoded in the systemic environment, mediated by bloodborne factors (i.e., serum, metabolites, plasma proteins, and immune cells), making them key modulators for functional and structural changes and brain homeostasis. If changes in brain network activity serve as indicators for age-related cognitive decline, and if bloodborne factors influence brain aging, how do these factors impact network activity dynamics during brain upkeep and neural adaptation in aging and neurodegeneration? What mechanisms govern the influence of these factors on network dynamics at various scales? Can these interactions offer precise predictions of established aging brain patterns? Our project, embedded in translational and entrepreneurial application, seeks to traverse the journey from intricate, fundamental research to tangible, transformative early diagnosis and therapeutic solution for neurodegenerative diseases with the potential to unveil novel predictive biomarkers that could revolutionize personalized medicine, thereby catering to a growing market demand in the healthcare sector. By intertwining advanced technology, innovative methodologies, and a deep understanding of neuronal networks, we aspire to weave a new narrative in the fight against cognitive decline, aging, and neurodegenerative diseases by transcending the boundaries of scientific research, venturing into translational and entrepreneurial application (i.e., narrowing the valley of death in biomedical research), aligning seamlessly with the mission and vision of the transCampus S2B seed funding initiative.