| In the interest of speed and timeliness, this story is fed directly from the Associated Press newswire and may contain spelling or grammatical errors. |
LOS ANGELES (AP) The University of Southern California announced Wednesday it has been awarded a $17 million federal grant to develop implantable medical devices to treat blindness, paralysis and memory loss.
The National Science Foundation award will fund a new center at the university that will coordinate novel research into microelectronic devices inspired by biology. The California Institute of Technology and University of California, Santa Cruz, are both collaborating on the center.
Officials hope the Biomimetic MicroElectronic Systems center will bolster the biotechnology industry in Los Angeles, which has lagged behind San Diego and the San Francisco Bay region.
Mark Humayun, a USC professor of ophthalmology and biomedical engineering, will direct the new center. He said its work will involve ``where microelectronics meet the body.''
Among the high-tech prosthetic devices being developed is a retinal implant to give sight to the blind, a neuromuscular stimulator to repair damaged muscles and a silicon chip intended to combat certain types of brain injuries or diseases.