Ballini, Marco

Research

The main focus of my research is in mixed-signal IC design of CMOS microelectrode arrays. I have been working on the design a CMOS MEA in 0.35 micron technology, featuring sub-cellular spatial resolution and 1024 low-noise recording channels, and I am currently testing it.

The developed microsystem will be used to measure the electrophysiological activity during the development of cultured neural networks

• to determine the electrical signals propagation and reconstruct the inter-cellular connectivity
• to monitor the network growth and the establishment of new electrical connections between cells
• to induce and study the mechanisms of synaptic plasticity
• to study alterations in the electrophysiological cell activity induced by dosing of chemical agents with microfluidic techniques
• to study the mechanisms of cellular pathophysiological degenerations

From 2008 until 2010 I was a Marie Curie fellow of the CellCheck project as an Early Stage Researcher. The project focused on the design and realization of microsystems and microfluidic devices integrated with several sensor and analysis functions for cell arrays and suspended cell analysis.

Biographical information

• Since 2008 work toward PhD at D-BSSE, ETH Zurich
• 2007-2008 PhD studies at the Physical Electronics Laboratory, ETH Zurich
• 2004-2007 work as researcher on biomedical laser delivery devices at ElEn SpA
• 2003 MSc in Electrical Engineering at the University of Florence

Links

• Marie Curie CellCheck project