Abstract:  Brain-Microsystem Interfaces are emerging approaches and devices intended for the diagnostic and treatment of complex neural vital functions. This talk covers Biosensors-based systems intended for intracortical cell manipulation, and characterization. We deal with multidimensional design and implementation challenges through custom made Laboratory-on-Chip (LoC) platforms. Such pla forms are composed of two main structures; the first one is the microelectronics, which requires power management, ultra low-power circuit, high-data rate and reliable wireless energy and data communication. The second one is microfluidics grouping microchannels and interfaces to bioelectronics and to in situ medium through inlets/outlets. Case studies include: 1) monitoring pH levels in cell culture medium through arrays of complementary (P&N) ion-sensitive field effect transistors (ISFETs); 2) Biosensing through magnetic immunoassay-based microsystems for detecting protein toxins in environment. Planar microcoil arrays and system packaging technique are among the challenging issues. Achieved system that allows to detect magnetic particles in ultra thin bottom microplate, has potential for medical diagnostics, food pathogen detection or water analysis, 3) dielectrophoretic-based microfluidic technique in a reconfigurable LoC platform, which groups 64 bidirectional electrodes that can be enabled or disabled individually. Moreover, device includes capacitive sensing array for the measurement of the in-channel capacitance change induced by cells.

Biography: Mohamad Sawan received the Ph.D. degree in 1990 in Electrical Engineering, from Sherbrooke University, Canada. He joined Polytechnique Montreal in 1991, where he is currently a Professor of microelectronics and biomedical engineering. His interests are the design and test of analog, digital, RF, and optic circuits and Microsystems. Dr. Sawan is a holder of a Canada Research Chair in Smart Medical Devices, he is leading the Microsystems Strategic Alliance of Quebec (ReSMiQ), and is founder of the Polystim Neurotechnologies Laboratory.
Dr. Sawan is founder and cofounder of several international conferences such as the IEEE NEWCAS, ICECS, and BIOCAS. He is also cofounder and Associate Editor (AE) of the IEEE Trans. on BIOCAS, Deputy Editor-in Chief of the IEEE TCAS-II (2009-2013), and he is Editor and Associate Editor, and member of the board of several international Journals.  Dr. Sawan is founder and chair of the Eastern Canadian IEEE-Solid State Circuits Society Chapter. He published more than 650 peer reviewed papers, two books, 10 book chapters, and 12 patents.
Dr. Sawan received several awards, among them the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal, the Bombardier Award for technology transfer, the Jacques-Rousseau Award for achieved results in multidisciplinary research activities, the medal of merit from the President of Lebanon for his outstanding contributions, and the Barbara Turnbull Award for spinal-cord research in Canada. He is Fellow of the IEEE, Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, Fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada, and Officer of the Quebec’s National Order.