Electroporation utilizes short, intense pulsed electric fields (PEF) to transiently permeabilize cellular membranes, facilitating molecule transport into or out of cells. Widely applied in biotechnology and medicine, electroporation’s full mechanistic understanding remains elusive. The primary debate centers on whether purely physical electric field effects or electrochemical reactions involving reactive oxygen species (ROS) and other reactive species predominantly drive electroporation effects. The EXPORE project aims to resolve these mechanistic questions. We propose to dissect the contributions of electric field and electrochemical reactions. Our objectives include quantifying charge transfer products, developing timeresolved methods to probe dynamic reactive species, and testing the biological impact of electrochemical products on electroporation. Preliminary data indicate significant ROS generation during PEF, impacting cell viability and permeability. By creating novel electrode systems exhibiting ideally capacitive or faradaic behavior, we aim to optimize protocols for either reversible electroporation or potent irreversible electroporation suitable for applications such as neural tissue ablation and anticancer therapies. The project will leverage advanced electrochemical and optical techniques to map reactive species formation, engineer electrode materials to modulate ROS generation, and apply findings to biological models: yeast cells and invertebrate nervous tissues. The project seeks to establish low-cost and more ethical invertebrate models. EXPORE involves applied research on electrode manufacturing, to bring new electrode systems into the hands of stakeholders. These efforts promise to elucidate the fundamental mechanisms of electroporation, paving the way for clinical and biotechnological applications, and provide a toolbox of optimized protocols for various medical applications in gene therapy, cardiology, neurology, and oncology.

Keywords
reactive oxygen species, biophysics, electroporation, electrosurgery, tumor ablation

NW25-08-00274

English

Glowacki Eric Daniel, prof., Ph.D. - principal person responsible

Bioelectronics Materials and Systems
- responsible department (18.6.2024 - not assigned)
Bioelectronics Materials and Systems
- beneficiary (18.6.2024 - not assigned)

Responsibility: Glowacki Eric Daniel, prof., Ph.D.