Development of a living cell-cell battery inspired by electric fishes

• Project/Area Number: 22K18942
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 28:Nano/micro science and related fields
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: MATURANA ANDRES 名古屋大学, 生命農学研究科, 准教授 (10452004)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 肥田 博隆 神戸大学, 工学研究科, 准教授 (60402509) ; 神野 伊策 神戸大学, 工学研究科, 教授 (70346039)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-06-30 – 2025-03-31
• Project Status: Granted (Fiscal Year 2022)
• Budget Amount: ¥6,240,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,440,000); Fiscal Year 2024: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000); Fiscal Year 2023: ¥2,080,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥480,000); Fiscal Year 2022: ¥3,250,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥750,000)
• Keywords: Bioelectricity / ion channels / microchannel

Outline of Research at the Start

Our objective is to develop a cell battery that use the bioelectricity produced by living cells. For this , we aim at mimicking the electric potential generation by electric fishes, in particular the electric eel. Electric eel generate strong electric discharges with specialized cells called electroccytes. Electrocytes cells from the electric organ that generate up to 800V electric discharge. Using living cells in culture and microchannel device, we will fabricate an electric organ similar to the electric eel to generate bioelectrical power.