Electrical device that opens the blood-brain barrier on demand
This technology uses precisely calibrated electrical pulses delivered through electrodes placed in the brain to accomplish two things simultaneously: it destroys a targeted tumor or diseased tissue zone through irreversible electroporation (essentially killing cells with electricity), while temporarily and controllably opening the blood-brain barrier in the surrounding tissue. The blood-brain barrier is the protective shield that normally prevents large drug molecules from reaching brain tissue from the bloodstream. By transiently disrupting this barrier in a controlled ring around the ablation site, the system allows drugs or other therapeutic agents circulating in the blood to penetrate directly into brain tissue that would otherwise be inaccessible. The system also displays a real-time map of both the ablation zone and the drug-delivery zone, giving surgeons spatial control over the treatment.
What you could build
A neurosurgical device system that combines brain tumor ablation with on-demand, localized drug delivery enhancement, sold to neurosurgery departments and neuro-oncology centers; the primary buyers would be hospital systems and academic medical centers treating high-grade gliomas.
Who in Virginia should care
Inova, UVA Health, and VCU Health all have active neuro-oncology programs and would be natural clinical partners or early adopters; Virginia also hosts defense-affiliated medical research centers with interest in neuroprotection.
Readiness: Prototype likely
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Rafael V. Davalos, John H. Rossmeisl, Paulo A. Garcia
- Granted
- April 2, 2019
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 10245098
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.