BIOMATERIALS FOR THE MICROELECTRODE-NEURAL INTERFACE Release Date: December 1, 1999 NOTICE: NS-00-003 REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: NIH-NINDS-RFI-00-03 NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), is seeking to identify sources that are interested and have the potential capability to study biomaterials for the CNS with a long-term goal of rationally designing microelectrode surfaces to promote integration of microelectrodes within the CNS. The information requested below will aid in planning and developing a possible solicitation for this potential initiative. It is our opinion that the most suitable target audience to respond to this inquiry would be organizations engaged in or familiar with similar research. Background Biomaterials that are implanted into the central nervous system, such as the microscopic electrode shafts of neural prostheses, should interact with neural and other tissues on a cellular and molecular level. Two differences between the implant and the neural tissue that hinder this interaction are differences in stiffness and differences in surface chemistry. For example, silicon microelectrodes have an elastic modulus of around 100 gigaPascals whereas the stiffness of neural tissue is on the order of 0.1 megapascals. This million fold difference in stiffness results in significant differential movement in response to external stress. The imbalance probably causes greater problems in large brained animals where stress loads are larger and may account for the greater difficulty that has been encountered in chronic recording from larger brained animals. An implanted surface must not move with respect to the neural tissue it is making connections with. In addition, the surface of an implant must be recognized biochemically by the neural tissue as a surface that is appropriate for contact. This interaction between implanted microelectrode and neural tissue must be understood and controlled. Controlling the interaction requires an understanding of how cells, including neurons and glia, and extracellular matrix respond to the surface chemistry of the implant and knowledge about leachable substances of implanted biomaterials. Microelectrodes offer the possibility of controlled stimulation of smaller volumes of neural tissue on the order of one thousand to one hundred thousand times smaller than those used today provided that the surface interaction between the microelectrode and the neural tissue is controlled. This Request for Information (RFI) is for information and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the Government. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of responses nor otherwise pay for the preparation of any information submitted or the Government’s use of such information. Acknowledgement of receipt of responses will not be made, nor will respondents be notified of the Government’s evaluation of the information received. However, should such a requirement materialize, no basis for claims against the Government shall arise as a result of a response to this request for information or the Government’s use of such information as either part of our evaluation process or in developing specifications for any subsequent requirement. Responses will be held in a confidential manner. Any proprietary information should be so marked. All respondents are asked to indicate the type and size of your business organization, e.g., Large Business, Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, Women-Owned Business, 8 (a), Historically Black College or University/Minority Institution (HBCU/MI), educational institution, profit/non-profit hospital, or other nonprofit organization. Responses should be identified with NIH-NINDS-RFI-00-03, and are due by December 13, 1999. Please submit three copies of your response to the attention of: Desiree Y. Wheeler, Contract Specialist, Contracts Management Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 3287, MSC 9531, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-9531. Facsimile responses will also be accepted. E- mail responses, sent to dw76q@nih.gov, will also be accepted.


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