Bioelectronics Lab (Anikeeva Group)

The Bioelectronics Lab at MIT works at the interface of materials science, electronics, and neurobiology with the goal of advancing the understanding and treatment of disorders of the nervous system. The Lab will design, synthesize, and fabricate optoelectronic and magnetic devices that manipulate and record neuronal activity and development. Research Areas include: 

(1) Area I: Magnetic manipulation and recording of neuronal signaling with nanomaterials;
(2) Area II: Multifunctional interfaces with central and peripheral nervous systems; and
(3) Area III: Contributions of peripheral organ signaling to brain function and behavior

The Bioelectronics group uses first-principles approaches to design tools to probe and modulate neuronal signaling at the level of circuits, cells, and receptors. Tools include flexible multifunctional devices capable of bidirectional communication with neurons via electrical, optical, and chemical modalities. To remotely manipulate neuronal activity with receptor and cell-type specificity, we synthesize a diversity of nanomagnetic materials capable of converting weak magnetic fields into signals such as torque, heat, chemical release and beyond. Although our technologies can be applied to a multitude of problems in neuroscience, our group is particularly interested in cells and circuits governing communication between peripheral organs and the brain in health and disease.