邁向人體試驗之植入式人工視網膜系統之研發與動物實驗驗證-總計畫暨子計畫二：植入式人工網膜晶片之研發與視網膜電刺激模型之建立( I )

Abstract

我國已經漸漸邁入高齡化社會。由於此社會結構的轉變，導致國家的預算要在高齡相關疾病養護中呈現非線性的成長。尤其在高齡化所導致的視網膜病變，在已開發國家中更是有顯著的影響。在眼疾的統計中，視網膜色素退化疾病(Retinitis Pigmentosa)在每四千人中，就有一人受此疾病困擾。而年齡相關性的視網膜組織退化(Age-Related Macular Degeneration)更是在每十個六十五歲以上年老者中就有一個有此病症。在這兩種視網膜重大疾病，皆有非常高的比例會造成視網膜感光細胞壞死並導致失明。為了能夠有效的治療與此相關之視網膜病變，並能夠減少國家在老年疾病與身障者養護的社會成本與經費預算，我們提出這個整合型研究計畫。計畫的目的為研發可應用於人體實驗之人工視網膜系統雛形，奠基於本計畫團隊暨有的成果，針對人體實驗的要求進行最佳化設計，並進行動物實驗驗證其有效性，作為未來進入人體試驗前的先期研究。 本計畫包括三個子計畫(1) 搭配人工視網膜晶片之影像擷取投射系統之開發與研究、(2) 植入式人工網膜晶片之研發與視網膜電刺激模型之建立與(3) 新穎透明電極於下視網膜植入式電子眼系統之體外與體內生物效應之研究。上述等研究主題將分別由台灣聯合大學系統的國立交通大學、國立陽明大學、國立台灣大學及國立清華大學作相關研究並加以整合，並由日本Nara Institute of Science and Technology(NAIST) 材料科學研究所的Jun Ohta教授擔任本計畫的國際合作人，共同進行刺激電極之研究。

Our country is stepping into an aging society and the expenses for the associated aging health care are shown with nonlinear increase in the annual budget. The age-related retinal diseases become significant problems in a developed country. In the statistics of eye diseases, it has been estimated that one out of 4000 peoples is suffering from retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Moreover, one tenth of the population with age over 65 years is affected by age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). In order to provide a more effective therapeutic plan for reducing the health-care expenses and the cost of social welfare, we proposed this integrated research project. This project targets to be the initiative for future clinical trial research. The goal of this project is to research and develop prototype artificial retinal implant system for future clinical trial. We will complete the optimum design to fulfill the requirements of the clinical trial. We will also conduct in vitro and in vivo tests to validate our designs. The research team consists of outstanding professors in biomedical, biological, EECS, and optics fields as well as a medical doctor. This project will focus on the following topics. (1) Development and research of image-captured projection system for artificial retina chip, (2) Implant chip and electrical stimulation model for visual prosthesis, and (3) the in vivo and in vitro study on the biological effects of an implantable subretinal retinal prosthesis system. The research topics listed above will be conducted through interdisciplinary collaboration of professors from University System of Taiwan (UST), NCTU, NYMU/Taipei Veterans General Hospital, NTU, and NTHU. We also invite Professor Jun Ohta at Nara Institute of Science and Technology(NAIST) as our international collaborator to research and develop stimulating electrodes.