The Technology
Cardiac and neurological electrophysiological disorders are commonly treated by tissue ablation, yet current approaches are irreversible, spatially coarse, and limited by uncertainty in identifying the true drivers of pathological electrical activity. Existing tools do not allow high-resolution, reversible perturbation of excitable tissue, restricting mechanistic insight and increasing procedural risk.
This technology introduces a four-dimensional (3D space + time) optogenetic platform enabling precise, reversible control of electrical excitation in excitable tissues. The system is based on targeted expression of a light-gated hyperpolarizing ion channel and patterned optical stimulation to locally and dynamically silence electrical activity.
High-resolution illumination enables reproducible induction and termination of complex arrhythmias, controlled creation of conduction blocks that mimic pathological or ablative scars, and real-time functional interrogation of electrophysiological circuits. Electrical silencing is fully reversible, allowing iterative testing of candidate intervention sites and pathways prior to permanent ablation. This “test-before-ablate” capability represents a fundamental advance over conventional irreversible approaches.
Advantages
• Fully reversible, non-destructive electrical silencing
• High spatial resolution control of excitable tissue
• Dynamic modulation of electrophysiology across space and time
• Improved precision and safety relative to current ablation methods
• Mechanism-driven identification of critical pathological pathways
• Applicability across cardiac and neurological excitable tissues
Applications and Opportunities
• In vitro modeling of complex cardiac arrhythmias and electrophysiological disorders
• Identification and validation of arrhythmia-sustaining pathways
• Simulation and optimization of ablation strategies
• Preclinical evaluation of anti-arrhythmic and neuromodulatory therapies
• Enablement of precision ablation workflows and decision-support tools
• Integration with electrophysiology devices, optical catheters, and research platforms
Business Development Contacts
