US 12,263,351 B2
Methods and systems for modulating cellular activation
Bozhi Tian, Chicago, IL (US); Francisco Bezanilla, Chicago, IL (US); Erin Adams, Chicago, IL (US); Ramya Parameswaran, Chicago, IL (US); Yuanwen Jiang, Chicago, IL (US); João L. Carvalho-de-Souza, Chicago, IL (US); Kelliann C. Koehler, Chicago, IL (US); and Michael G. Burke, Bordentown, NJ (US)
Assigned to The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, Urbana, IL (US)
Appl. No. 16/975,034
Filed by The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL (US)
PCT Filed Feb. 19, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/018620
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 21, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/168714, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 6, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/674,713, filed on May 22, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/675,059, filed on May 22, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/635,969, filed on Feb. 27, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/635,852, filed on Feb. 27, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0390803 A1, Dec. 17, 2020
Int. Cl. A61N 5/06 (2006.01); C12N 5/0783 (2010.01); C12N 5/0793 (2010.01); A61B 18/00 (2006.01); C12N 13/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61N 5/0622 (2013.01) [A61N 5/0601 (2013.01); C12N 5/0619 (2013.01); C12N 5/0636 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00125 (2013.01); A61N 5/062 (2013.01); A61N 2005/0659 (2013.01); A61N 2005/0662 (2013.01); A61N 2005/0663 (2013.01); C12N 13/00 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for modulating activity of a cell, the method comprising:
contacting a membrane of the cell with a silicon nanostructure to form a structure-cell membrane interface, the silicon nanostructure comprising a p-type/intrinsic/n-type (PIN) coaxial Si nanowire or a PIN Si diode junction, wherein the silicon nanostructure further comprises gold, silver, or platinum on a surface of the silicon nanostructure, wherein the silicon nanostructure is distributed on or within a flexible substrate comprising one or more polymers, and wherein the flexible substrate includes a mesh; and
exposing the interface to light so as to depolarize the cell membrane thereby increasing a threshold for activation of the cell, wherein the cell is capable of being activated by light, and wherein the cell is a neuron or an immune cell.