SRS 2020: Undergraduate Excellence Award - Rene Arvizu

Presentation Title: Baja Epi-Intra NeuroMEMS Device

Paraplegia affects over 300,000 people in the United States and is caused by a spinal cord injury which results in the loss of leg muscle function. Current treatment for paraplegic patients includes rehabilitation, medication, and prosthetics. Previously, the stimulation of spinal motor neurons was challenging due to the small size of the target area. Our lab uses a Micro-Electro-Mechanical-System (MEMS) device with an array of glass carbon (GC) electrodes layered with a neutral biocompatible flexible material. With a collaboration with the University of Washington, we are working on implanting this device into the epidural region of rats to reanimate their limbs after spinal cord injury.