USC PhD Student Creates Project to Treat MS with Nanotechnology

Patricia Silva, PhD avatar

by Patricia Silva, PhD |

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nanotechnology for MS

nanotechnology for MSA Ph.D. student at theĀ University of Southern California (USC) Viterbi Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering, Kun Yue, is developing a model of selected brain circuits to study multiple sclerosis (MS) in an effort to develop a nanotechnology based treatment for the disease.Ā Yue believes that new technology can lead to improvement in the quality of life of people who suffer from chronic debilitating neural diseases.

“There is no known cure for many of the most debilitating neural diseases,” such as MS, Kun Yue explained. “New technology can ease people’s suffering.”Ā Supported by aĀ 2014 Research Enhancement Fellowship awarded by the USC Graduate School and under theĀ guidance of Professor Alice Parker, leader of the USC BioRC Project, Yue has embraced the challenge of creating a treatment suitable for diseases such as MS using nanotechnology.

ā€œNano medicine is popular, but not many are working on it because few universities have the resources for the interdisciplinary work. USC is one of the universities that does,ā€ explained Yue. His work will be integrated into his mentor project on reverse engineering of the brain, which was proposed by the National Academy of Engineering. In addition toĀ electrical engineers, Yue will also work with USCā€™s experts in neuroscience, medicine, and pharmacology.

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Yue began his project by creating an electrical circuit model of selected brain circuits, allowing the research team to gain a better understanding of multiple sclerosis functioning in the human brain. This preliminary approach was designed to help pave the way toward developing medical treatments using nanotechnology, which may have major implications in the comprehension and treatment of neurological disorders such as MS.

Currently, treating most of the chronic debilitating neural diseases involves deep brain stimulation, which requires the implantation of an electrode inside the brain through an invasive surgery. However, if Yue succeeds in using nanotechnology, physicians may be able to achieve the same results without theĀ risk of major surgery.