PhD: Engineering Artificial Synaptic Cells for Next-Generation Brain-Computer Interfaces

Understanding how human neurons transition from axonal elongation to synaptic establishment is critical for modelling neurodegenerative diseases like ALS. This project combines Biomolecular Engineering (synthetic membrane channels and synaptogenic proteins) with Biomaterial Engineering (micropatterned growth substrates) to address the Programmable Microenvironments challenge area. We will engineer Artificial Synaptic Cells (ASCs) incorporating synthetic membrane channels and integrate them into our established Long Axon Microarray (LAM) platform to control neuronal growth dynamics and form ‘biohybrid’ synapses. By establishing quantitative metrics for synapse initiation, and developing protocols compatible with standardized cell manufacturing, this work will create a scalable platform for high-throughput disease modelling and drug screening. This engineering biology approach bridges fundamental neuroscience discovery with translatable biomedical applications, directly addressing industry-identified needs for designing programmable biological systems and establishing a platform capable of providing measurement standards for engineered cellular interfaces.