IGERT Home
Overview
Welcome to the IGERT program on Hybrid Neural Microsystems: Integrating Neural Tissue & Engineering Systems
The Georgia Institute of Technology and
Emory University are proud to offer an
interdisciplinary program of graduate training focused on combining the study of the brain and
nervous system with microsystems technology. The combination of these two, previously disparate
disciplines has great potential for advancing research and addressing applications ranging from the
treatment of disease to the implementation of artificial systems inspired by biology. The NSF
IGERT program addresses these challenges by
providing an environment that integrates the underlying disciplines fundamentally through a
combination of educational infrastructure and interdisciplinary research opportunities.
The educational component of the program is composed of associated preexisting programs within the College of Engineering at Georgia Tech and the Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences at Emory. Through participation in current curricula, Emory students in the biological sciences will gain knowledge in microsystems technology while Georgia Tech engineers will develop understanding in cellular and systems neuroscience. The research efforts that are incorporated into the program involve the development and application of systems that interface neural tissue (either in vitro or in vivo) to engineered devices, models, and constructs for the purposes of understanding living systems, augmenting damaged neuronal systems, and producing novel engineered systems. This research draws on our present strengths in neurophysiology, microelectronics/micromechanics, cell biology, biomechanics, and medical implants.
Application instructions and a web form are available on the application page.
Other IGERT Programs at GA Tech
Technological Innovation: Generating Economic Results (TI:GER®)