The interaction of photosensitive proteins with microfabricated sensor arrays (Photosense)

 Close-up of the eyes of a woman in an optician's apparatus
MICROSENSORS AND VISION: The Photosense Project develops technology that can give the sight back to people who have become blind from an eye disease.

This project will develop technology that can restore the vision of millions of people. The scientists are investigating the use of naturally occurring protein nanomachines as a replacement for damaged photoreceptors in the eye.

The research project «The interaction of photosensitive proteins with microfabricated sensor arrays» (Photosense) is about microsensors and vision. 

The utilisation of naturally occurring protein nanomachines will be used as the basis for a technology that may restore vision and thereby benefit millions of people worldwide that are suffering from retinal degenerative diseases.

Photosense will seek to develop a novel artificial retina, built around the photosensitive protein, bacteriorhodopsin, which represents the utmost example of a «bottom-up» approach and the ideal design of modern nanotechnology.

Nanotechnology is a priority

Research in nanotechnology, microtechnology and advanced materials is a priority area for the Government's long-term plan for research and higher education 2019–2028.

Photosense combines a highly sophisticated nanomachine derived and optimized through natural evolution, with current state of the art in microfabricated electronic circuitry and sensors.

The result is a device that is directly powered by incident light, does not require any external power supplies or bulky hardware, and offers the potential for far greater visual resolution than competing electrode-based technologies.

Photosense is a collaborative project between research groups at The University of South-Eastern Norway (USN), The University of Oslo (UiO) and from Connecticut in the USA. Professor Erik A. Johannessen at USN is the Project Manager.

The Research Council of Norway (NFR) has issued an award of 12 mill NOK to fund the project from 1st October 2021 to 31st March 2025 through their research programme for «Nanotechnology and advanced materials (NANO2021)».

How the scientists work

The development of a high-resolution integrated microsensor array that combines optical, electrical and electrochemical pixels will constitute a key element of the project work.

The array will be used to probe the function of ordered arrays of bacteriorhodopsin through a direct optical investigation of the active (light absorbing) state while recording the charge redistribution and subsequent translocation of protons. The proton translocation couples downstream to stimulate the remaining nerve cells in the retina to give a perception of sight.

Such functional verification has yet to be reported and will generate additional insight into protein behaviour as well as facilitating the development and optimization of implantable devices using bacteriorhodopsin as the photo-transducing element.

 

 

About Photosense 

The interaction of photosensitive proteins with microfabricated sensor arrays (Photosense) 

Project Manager:

Professor Erik Johannessen, USN

Members:

Professor Philipp Häfliger, UiO

Professor Robert Birge, Connecticut

Professor Bjørn Torger Stokke, USN/NTNU

Professor Rigmor Baraas, USN

Collaborative Project: The Photosense Project is based on a collaboration between the research groups at The University of South-Eastern Norway (USN), The University of Oslo (UiO) and in Connecticut in the USA. 

Funding: The Research Council of Norway (NFR) has issued an award of 12 mill NOK to fund the project from 1st October 2021 to 31st March 2025 through their research programme for «Nanotechnology and advanced materials (NANO2021)».

Description: This project will seek to develop technology that may restore vision and thereby benefit millions of people worldwide that are suffering from retinal degenerative diseases.

The development of a high-resolution integrated microsensor array that combines optical, electrical and electrochemical pixels will constitute a key element of the project work.

Advisory Board: