Dr Amparo Güemes Gonzalez - University of Cambridge

Royal Academy of Engineering / Rosetrees Research Fellowships  2024

Epilepsy and type 1 diabetes are two prevalent chronic diseases characterised by a close, yet often overlooked, interplay between the nervous and metabolic systems. This intricate relationship complicates achieving optimal study and clinical outcomes when using traditional drug-based therapeutic approaches. Emerging technologies offer innovative solutions but require multidisciplinary approaches that integrate engineering advancements with an enhanced understanding of underlying physiology. NeuMeC have developed a platform designed to describe and control metabolic activity in health and disease conditions by targeting the nervous system, in particular the vagus nerve. Eventually, NeuMeC aims to use real-time closed-loop control to mimic healthy physiological regulation.

The methodology for Dr Amparo Güemes Gonzalez’s Royal Academy of Engineering’s Research Fellowship supported work combines preclinical and clinical studies with advanced computational techniques to achieve scientific, technical, and societal objectives. As Epilepsy already uses neuromodulation in clinical applications it will be used as a case study for examining the neuro–metabolic axis. She plans to adapt the methods and technologies developed for diabetes in future work.

Dr Gonzalez’s work at the University of Cambridge will first develop new bioelectronic technology to interface with the vagus nerve and monitor metabolic markers such as glucose and cortisol to understand the neuro–metabolic axis. This will then enable her to work to decode the vagus nerve activity to provide information about epileptic seizures and metabolic states. Concurrently, she will explore neuromodulation methods to stimulate the vagus nerve, while examining their impact on metabolism, an aspect currently disregarded. These efforts will inform the creation of mathematical models describing how the neural activity connects with metabolism and how neuromodulation through electrical stimulation affects these processes. Ultimately, the aim is to close the loop and develop a preclinical prototype to demonstrate that this approach is effective. By mathematically identifying and describing the neuro–metabolic connection in health and disease, NeuMeC paves the path to personalised solutions driven by advanced technology.

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