Hybrid fabrication of multimodal intracranial implants for electrophysiology and local drug delivery Johannes Gurke, Tobias E. Naegele, Sam Hilton, Roberto Pezone, Vincenzo F. Curto, Damiano G. Barone, Emil J. W. List-Kratochvil, Alejandro Carnicer-Lombarte and George G. Malliaras University of Potsdam, Germany New fabrication approaches for mechanically flexible materials hold the key to advancing the applications of bioelectronics in fundamental neuroscience and the clinic. By combining the high precision of microfabrication of a thin-film bioelectronic array with the versatility of additive manufacturing of microfluidic systems, we are showing a new, straight-forward approach for the fabrication of intracranial probes capable of multichannel local field recordings and convection-enhanced drug delivery. The process makes use of state-of-the-art parylene-based device architecture and a commercial VAT polymerizable elastomer, combining to produce a flexible implant. The mechanical and electrical properties of the implant are characterised, and its function is validated in an in vivo rodent model. We show that the implant can pharmaceutically modulate neuronal activity in the hippocampus through local drug delivery, while simultaneously recording local field potentials by its electrodes. Chronic implantation tests show good implant stability and minimal tissue response one-week post-implantation. Our work shows the potential of hybrid neuronal probes combining different manufacturing technologies – lithography- based printing and thin-film microfabrication – and paves the way for a new approach to multimodal probes combining the capabilities of both. References 1. Gurke et al., Mater. Horiz., 2022, 9 , 1727-1734.
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