The Katja Poković Research Fund

Fellowship Award 2024

Project title: Evaluation of temporal interference stimulation with multi-channel optimization

Awardee: Dr. Aiping Yao

Start date: January 1st, 2025

Duration: 8 months

Project summary:

Temporal Interference Stimulation (TIS) is a promising non-invasive electrical neuromodulation technique that has the potential to selectively stimulate deep brain targets without the need for surgical implantation. By leveraging multi-channel stimulation, the focality and selectivity of TIS can be substantially enhanced, enabling precise targeting of, e.g., neural circuits. However, the widespread application of multi-channel TIS faces two key challenges: (i) the lack of well-defined in vivo evaluation metrics to assess its efficacy, and (ii) the increased complexity of TIS planning due to the large number of tuneable parameters introduced by the use of multiple channels. The aim of this research fellowship is to systematically explore the theoretical foundations and experimental validation of multi-channel TIS. The key objectives are to: (i) establish reliable evaluation metrics for quantitative assessment of TIS outcomes, and (ii) develop an optimization strategy for multi-channel TIS that ensures effective and selective deep brain modulation. The results of this study can lay the foundation for more effective and personalized neuromodulation therapies, thereby advancing the translation of non-invasive TIS from the research bench to the clinic, and creating opportunities for future collaborations.

Questions? Please contact Dr. Marisa Oliveira kpresearchfund@itis.swiss.