This technology is a platform that uses patient-derived cells to accurately evaluate their neuromuscular junction function to detect and diagnose neuromuscular diseases such as myasthenia gravis (MG).
Disorders in neuromuscular transmission are routinely diagnosed based on blood testing for biomarkers and electrodiagnosis tests. However, existing biomarkers often correlate poorly with disease severity, and electrodiagnosis is a painful process with readouts that often do not lead to a specific diagnosis. Furthermore, it remains challenging to evaluate a patient’s serum for its ability to inhibit neuromuscular activity and diagnose neuromuscular dysfunction in MG. As such, there remains a need for a robust, non-invasive method of evaluating neuromuscular functionality for improved diagnostics and monitoring of MG and other neuromuscular disorders.
This technology is a platform for in vitro testing of human neuromuscular functionality. It consists of a functional optogenetic model of the neuromuscular junction that analyzes optically sensitive motor neurons and contractile muscles, driven by a computer-controlled optical system. This enables simultaneous optical stimulation of motor neurons and detection of muscle contraction in response to stimulation. The technology further includes image processing software capable of generating a trace of contractile activity to determine the effectiveness of the formed neuromuscular junction. The platform can additionally be used to expose the neuromuscular junction to patient serum for accurate diagnoses of MG.
Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic, Ph.D.
Patent Pending (US 20210179989)
IR CU18400
Licensing Contact: Beth Kauderer