Center for Neural Communication Technology
About the Center
The Center for Neural Communication Technology (CNCT) stands at the crossroads where biomedical engineering and neuroscience meet and looks to a future when technology will interface with the brain, creating opportunities for scientific discovery and ushering in revolutionary treatments, therapies, and neural repair. CNCT's core research includes advanced probe technology, electrical and chemical interfaces, biocompatibility studies, and drug delivery systems.
CNCT's efforts are aimed at pushing the leading edge of neuroscience by developing increasingly sophisticated devices to implant in the brain. A critical enabling technology will be the next generation of microfabricated neural probes that can interface with the central nervous system at both cellular and network levels. As the premier resource for neural communication technology, CNCT offers a systematic, sequenced research and development program that integrates cutting-edge neurotechnologies with pioneering neuroscience applications.
The Center works closely with its collaborators to define, refine, and test new techniques and devices that are directed at providing more powerful neural interfaces. Beyond its core research program, CNCT disseminates the latest information available to its diverse communities; offers training and develops protocols; and provides key services to facilitate device delivery and set benchmarks for performance.
CNCT sets a high standard of excellence and its program embraces a broad swath of user communities from collaborators and invited users to clinicians and the research community at large. Staff members include senior scientists and engineers who are leaders in the development and application of neural interface technologies.
The Center is one of a network of biotechnology resource centers supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and is funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB, P41 EB002030). The Center is housed on the campus of the University of Michigan in the Lurie Biomedical Engineering Building. Professor Daryl R. Kipke serves as CNCT Director, with Professor William Shain as Associate Director.
Mission and Objectives
The mission of the Center for Neural Communication Technology (CNCT) is to develop and provide microscale implantable devices that offer long-term, high-fidelity interfaces to the nervous system. The CNCT serves as the premier worldwide resource for research, service, training, and dissemination of technologies for a variety of applications in the neurosciences.
To fulfill its mission, the Center addresses challenges that are both technical and operational through an integrated R&D program that systematically extends our core platform technologies. The Center's core research program is combined with equally balanced efforts in service, training and dissemination to maximize the impact of our technology on the global research community.
CNCT's four objectives are to:
- Develop microscale neural probes, treatments, and methodologies for long-term electrical and chemical interfaces with targeted areas of the brain.
- Integrate these components into devices that can be implanted in the brain, assess their long-term biocompatibility, and explore their performance in a variety of applications.
- Provide service and training to Center participants so that they can fully understand and use our devices and methodologies in their research.
- Disseminate research and technology outcomes to collaborators and invited users, the national and international research community, scientific media and educators, NIH/government staff, medical device industry participants, and clinicians.