Opportunity space

Scalable Neural Interfaces

Massively Scalable Neurotechnologies

Backed by £50m, this programme sits within the Scalable Neural Interfaces opportunity space and is seeking radically new ways to deliver responsive neurotechnologies to the brain without brain surgery.

Funded projects

We're backing ten Creator teams to explore new ways of reaching, reading and modulating brain circuits without conventional brain surgery.

Together, they are testing radically different routes to the brain — from engineered cells and inhaled particles to soft robotics, ultrasound and miniature devices.

Three concepts from the portfolio being tested

The illustrations below show three of the ten ambitious concepts being explored through MSN. Across all ten projects, we are testing different routes to reach, read and modulate brain circuits without conventional brain surgery. Each is a 36-month preclinical feasibility study: early-stage work to establish which approaches are safe, targeted and technically credible enough to merit further development.

Diagram showing engineered immune cells crossing into the brain to calm overactive neural circuits. With the question: What if modifying a patient’s own immune cells could offer a non-surgical way to calm the brain circuits that trigger epileptic seizures?

Diagram showing inhaled nanoparticles travelling from the lungs to the brainstem via the vagus nerve. With the question: What if treating deep brain circuits could be as simple as using an inhaler?

Diagram showing a soft vine robot placing a wireless deep-brain implant through cerebrospinal fluid. With the question: What if less invasive ways to rreach deep brain targets could make treatments for conditions such as Parkinson's disease avialable to many more people?

Meet the R&D Creators

Our Creator teams bring together world-leading expertise across neuroscience, engineering, materials science, robotics, synthetic biology and cell therapy.

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VINES: Vine Robots for Intracranial Navigation and Endocisternal Stimulation

Pietro Valdastri, University of Leeds

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NEURAL-TRAK: Neural Interfaces for Programmable Delivery and Modulation Along Intrinsic Neural Circuitry

Guangzhao Mao, University of Edinburgh

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Infusion-Based Engineered Immune Cell Neural Interfaces for Surgery-Free Neuromodulation of Pathological Circuit Hyperexcitability

Soyon Hong, UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL

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Ultrasound Contrast Agents for Recording of Neural Activity

Ed Boyden, MIT

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Endovascular Acoustic Interfaces for Scalable Neural Biomarker Readout

Yunlong Zhao, Imperial College London

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Remote Magnetic Neuromodulation with Bio-Magnetic Nanotransducers

Polina Anikeeva, MIT

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Unlocking Minimally Invasive Deep Brain Stimulation with Endovascular Neuromodulation Technology

Nicolette Driscoll, NeuroBionics

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ImmunoKnight: Armoured Immune Cells for the Non-Surgical Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease

Yujia Zhang, EPFL

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SCENT: Secreting Commensals Engineered for Neural Therapeutics

Henry Lee, Nili Ostrov, Cultivarium UK

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Programmable Cellular Delivery Vehicles for Remote Neural Modulation

Alon Galor, DART Biosciences