Photovoltaic Powered in vitro Cardiomyocyte Stimulator System

by Erin Fong (UC Davis)

Friday 28 Feb 2014, 11:00 → 12:00 US/Pacific

50A-5132

Regenerative medicine promises to replace diseased tissues with healthy ones created using engineered tissue constructs grown in the sterile environment of a bioreactor. Cardiomyocyte constructs (heart muscle tissue) require electrical stimulation to develop, but providing this stimulation involves creating ports in the bioreactor that become potential routes for pathogens to infect the tissue. This work explores using optical power delivery or indoor solar energy harvesting to support electrical stimulation while maintaining a sterile environment by placing the stimulation system inside the bioreactor. Stimulating growing heart muscle constructs involves large charge injection, which requires large currents and/or voltages to cause the muscle to contract. This talk will go into the design and testing of the integrated photovoltaics and 180nm CMOS stimulator circuit as well as address future implantable applications.