Question: • What new tech are you creating to treat degenerative diseases?

Christopher Bullock answered on 22 Jun 2017:

I’m really working on two different but related pieces of technology – designing neuroelectrodes to connect the brain to electronic devices and using graphene for tissue engineering. Tissue engineering is when we use stem cells to try to literally grow new tissues (the building blocks of organs). Using tissue engineering, it may be possible to replace parts of people’s bodies that stop functioning properly (for example, growing new cartilage for the knees of someone with arthritis) – this is really relevant for degenerative disease. This technology is really early in its development and is not that close to being used in the hospital (we will get there though!).

Neuroelectrodes on the other hand already can be used to directly treat some diseases, like Parkinson’s. They can also be used as what we call a brain-computer interface which both sense and stimulate nerves to allow 2-way communication. This kind of technology can be used for robotic arms which can both be controlled by your mind and can actually ‘feel’ – just like the real thing . I have been using graphene to improve the existing electrode technologies and we have been greatly able to improve the effectiveness of the electrodes in delivering electrical stimulation and sensing nervous signalling. We are now working to improve their lifespan and to make them soft and flexible (so that the body reacts well to them being implanted).