Non-genetic neuromodulation with graphene optoelectronic actuators for disease models, stem cell maturation, and biohybrid robotics

Elena Molokanova (), Teng Zhou, Pragna Vasupal, Volodymyr P. Cherkas, Prashant Narute, Mariana S. A. Ferraz, Michael Reiss, Angels Almenar-Queralt, Georgia Chaldaiopoulou, Janaina Sena Souza, Honieh Hemati, Francisco Downey, Omowuyi O. Olajide, Carolina Thörn Perez, Francesca Puppo, Pinar Mesci, Samuel L. Pfaff, Dmitry Kireev, Alysson R. Muotri () and Alex Savchenko ()
Additional contact information
Elena Molokanova: Nanotools Bioscience
Teng Zhou: NeurANO Bioscience
Pragna Vasupal: NeurANO Bioscience
Volodymyr P. Cherkas: Polish Academy of Sciences
Prashant Narute: Amherst
Mariana S. A. Ferraz: University of California San Diego
Michael Reiss: University of California San Diego
Angels Almenar-Queralt: University of California San Diego
Georgia Chaldaiopoulou: University of California San Diego
Janaina Sena Souza: University of California San Diego
Honieh Hemati: NeurANO Bioscience
Francisco Downey: Nanotools Bioscience
Omowuyi O. Olajide: University of California San Diego
Carolina Thörn Perez: The Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Francesca Puppo: University of California San Diego
Pinar Mesci: University of California San Diego
Samuel L. Pfaff: The Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Dmitry Kireev: Amherst
Alysson R. Muotri: University of California San Diego
Alex Savchenko: Nanotools Bioscience

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-20

Abstract: Abstract Light can serve as a tunable trigger for neurobioengineering technologies, enabling probing, control, and enhancement of brain function with unmatched spatiotemporal precision. Yet, these technologies often require genetic or structural alterations of neurons, disrupting their natural activity. Here, we introduce the Graphene-Mediated Optical Stimulation (GraMOS) platform, which leverages graphene’s optoelectronic properties and its ability to efficiently convert light into electricity. Using GraMOS in longitudinal studies, we found that repeated optical stimulation enhances the maturation of hiPSC-derived neurons and brain organoids, underscoring GraMOS’s potential for regenerative medicine and neurodevelopmental studies. To explore its potential for disease modeling, we applied short-term GraMOS to Alzheimer’s stem cell models, uncovering disease-associated alterations in neuronal activity. Finally, we demonstrated a proof-of-concept for neuroengineering applications by directing robotic movements with GraMOS-triggered signals from graphene-interfaced brain organoids. By enabling precise, non-invasive neural control across timescales from milliseconds to months, GraMOS opens new avenues in neurodevelopment, disease treatment, and robotics.

Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-62637-6 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-62637-6

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62637-6

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().