ACHUCARRO is part of the Basque consortium that developed a prototype for non-invasive neuromodulation for neurological diseases
The consortium led by Tecnalia developed of a system that guides and transports nanoparticles across the blood-brain barrier and uses them to modulate the activity of target neurons with pinpoint precision.
This groundbreaking development was made possible through a collaboration with ACHUCARRO, DIPC, CFM, FBB, CUN, Bitbrain, and the University of the Basque Country (EHU).
The non-invasive neuromodulation tools that were available to date (i.e., Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation or Transcranial Electrical Stimulation ) have significant limitations in terms of resolution and depth, while pharmacological solutions are largely ineffective, particularly due to their inability to cross the blood-brain barrier (a barrier that regulates the passage of substances between the bloodstream and the brain, protecting the central nervous system), as this structure protects the brain but also prevents many drugs from reaching the neural tissue where they are supposed to act, thereby reducing the efficacy of current treatments.
Our approach enables selective, deep, multifocal, and safe neuromodulation without the need for surgery. Its potential clinical applications range from repairing brain damage to strengthening weakened neural connections. Furthermore, its intuitive and affordable design facilitates its use in preclinical research, integrating all modules into a single platform for experimentation in rodents.
Neumonas
Neumonas is a Pre-commercial Public Procurement initiative aimed at developing R+D services in the field of non-invasive neuromodulation technologies, funded by the European Union (NextGenerationEU), the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities of the Basque Government, CDTI, and co-funded by the Recovery and Resilience Mecanism (RRM).
The following organizations have collaborated with TECNALIA on this project: ACHUCARRO BASQUE CENTER FOR NEUROSCIENCE FUNDAZIOA, DONOSTIA INTERNATIONAL PHYSICS CENTER (DIPC) FOUNDATION, Bit&Brain Technologies; University of Navarra – University of Navarra Clinic (CUN); BIOFÍSICA BIZKAIA FOUNDATION/BIOFISIKA BIZKAIA FUNDAZIOA (FBB), Center for Materials Physics (CFM-MPC, a joint CSIC-EHU initiative), and EHU (University of the Basque Country – Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea). The developments of the Neumonas project are based, among other things, on prior knowledge generated by the Basque Nanoneuro Network (B3N) initiative under the IKUR strategy, as a Strategic Research project within the framework of the Basque Country Strategic Investment Plan 2022–2024, thanks to the support and funding of the Department of Science, Universities, and Innovation of the Basque Government.