title: Soft, stretchable, fully implantable miniaturized optoelectronic systems for wireless optogenetics.
abstract: Optogenetics allows rapid, temporally specific control of neuronal activity by targeted expression and activation of light-sensitive proteins. Implementation typically requires remote light sources and fiber-optic delivery schemes that impose considerable physical constraints on natural behaviors. In this report we bypass these limitations using technologies that combine thin, mechanically soft neural interfaces with fully implantable, stretchable wireless radio power and control systems. The resulting devices achieve optogenetic modulation of the spinal cord and peripheral nervous system. This is demonstrated with two form factors; stretchable film appliqués that interface directly with peripheral nerves, and flexible filaments that insert into the narrow confines of the spinal epidural space. These soft, thin devices are minimally invasive, and histological tests suggest they can be used in chronic studies. We demonstrate the power of this technology by modulating peripheral and spinal pain circuitry, providing evidence for the potential widespread use of these devices in research and future clinical applications of optogenetics outside the brain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.|Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Sung Il
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Brenner
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.|Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Gunchul
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Clinton D
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7511-0488
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.affiliation: Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Bryan A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Copits
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.|Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Ha Uk
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Melanie Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Pullen
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.|Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Kyung Nim
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Noh
authors.affiliation: Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.|Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Soong Ju
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1434-8844
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.|Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.|Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jangyeol
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.|Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Kyung-In
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Vijay K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Samineni
authors.affiliation: Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Norman
authors.affiliation: Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Jose G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Grajales-Reyes
authors.affiliation: Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Sherri K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Vogt
authors.affiliation: Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Saranya S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Sundaram
authors.affiliation: Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Kellie M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Sook
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Renxiao
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Taisong
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1576-3409
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Tae-Il
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Yonggang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Montana
authors.affiliation: Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Judith P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Golden
authors.affiliation: Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Bruchas
authors.affiliation: Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5428-4251
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Gereau
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.|Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Rogers