Frey Initiative Research Unit

Our lab focuses on bioelectronics and biosensors, a multidisciplinary research field at the interface between engineering, biology and nanotechnology. Next generation health-care devices, from lab-on-chip diagnostics, over neural interfaces to drug screening systems, will be powered by bioelectronics and have the potential to change how we interact with biological systems.
The group's core competences are CMOS-integrated micro sensors for biological applications. We design and use high-resolution microelectrode arrays to interface with neuronal networks and advance the understanding of how neurons behave at a system level. We build advanced biosensors for performing quantitative measurements of single cells.

Research Subjects

• Bioelectronics
• Biosensors
• Mixed-signal circuit design
• Neuronal Interfaces

Publications

1. M. Fiscella, K. Farrow, I. L. Jones, D. Jäckel, J. Müller, U. Frey, D. J. Bakkum, P. Hantz, B. Roska, and A. Hierlemann:
   "Recording from Defined Populations of Retinal Ganglion Cells Using a High-Density CMOS-Integrated Microelectrode Array with Real-Time Switchable Electrode Selection"
   Journal of Neuroscience Methods, vol. 211, no. 1, pp. 103-113, 2012
2. D. Jäckel, U. Frey, M. Fiscella, F. Franke and A. Hierlemann:
   "Applicability of Independent Component Analysis on High-Density Microelectrode Array Recordings"
   Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 108, no. 1, pp. 334-348, 2012
3. * A. Hierlemann, U. Frey, S. Hafizovic, F. Heer:
   "Growing Cells atop Microelectronic Chips: Interfacing Electrogenic Cells in Vitro with CMOS-based Microelectrode Arrays"
   Proceedings of the IEEE, vol. 99, No. 2, pp. 252-284, 2011
4. * U. Frey, J. Sedivy, F. Heer, R. Pedron, M. Ballini, J. Mueller, D. Bakkum, S. Hafizovic, F. D. Faraci, F. Greve, K.-U. Kirstein, and A. Hierlemann:
   "Switch-matrix-based high-density microelectrode array in cmos technology"
   IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. 45, no. 2, pp. 467-482, 2010
5. * U. Frey, U. Egert, F. Heer, S. Hafizovic, and A. Hierlemann:
   "Microelectronic System for High-Resolution Mapping of Extracellular Electric Fields Applied to Brain Slices"
   Biosensors and Bioelectronics, vol. 24, no. 7, pp. 2191-2198, 2009
6. * C. D. Sanchez-Bustamante, U. Frey, J. M. Kelm, A. Hierlemann, and M. Fussenegger:
   "Modulation of Cardiomyocyte Electrical Properties Using Regulated Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 Expression"
   Tissue Engineering Part A, vol. 14, no. 12, pp. 1969-1988, 2008
7. * U. Frey, M. Graf, S. Taschini, K.-U. Kirstein, and A. Hierlemann:
   "A digital CMOS architecture for a micro-hotplate array"
   IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. 42, pp. 441- 450, 2007