LOS ANGELES (AP) The University of Southern California
announced Wednesday it has been awarded a $17 million federal grant
to develop implantable medical devices to treat blindness,
paralysis and memory loss.
The National Science Foundation award will fund a new center at
the university that will coordinate novel research into
microelectronic devices inspired by biology. The California
Institute of Technology and University of California, Santa Cruz,
are both collaborating on the center.
Officials hope the Biomimetic MicroElectronic Systems center
will bolster the biotechnology industry in Los Angeles, which has
lagged behind San Diego and the San Francisco Bay region.
Mark Humayun, a USC professor of ophthalmology and biomedical
engineering, will direct the new center. He said its work will
involve ``where microelectronics meet the body.''
Among the high-tech prosthetic devices being developed is a
retinal implant to give sight to the blind, a neuromuscular
stimulator to repair damaged muscles and a silicon chip intended to
combat certain types of brain injuries or diseases.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)