Neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, and Parkinson’s affect millions of people worldwide and, despite advances in medicine, often remain difficult to treat. The SEVERUS project – coordinated by Alberto Antonietti, researcher at the Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering - Politecnico di Milano, and funded by the Italian Science Fund – was created to address this challenge with an ambitious idea: understanding how to use low-intensity ultrasound to stimulate the brain in a targeted, safe, and completely non-invasive way.
The project explores a new way of “communicating” with neurons, using imperceptible sound waves to modulate brain activity. Its goal is to understand how these ultrasounds can influence the functioning of nerve cells and pave the way for more precise and effective therapies. To achieve this, SEVERUS combines computer simulations with laboratory experiments, creating an innovative approach that bridges theory and practice.
On one hand, digital models make it possible to predict how neurons respond to different types of stimulation. On the other, these predictions are tested in the laboratory using a technology known as brain-on-chip: tiny systems that reproduce the behaviour of neural networks and allow researchers to observe in real time how they react to ultrasound. The project uses both murine and human nerve cells, a crucial step toward making the results more relevant to real clinical applications.
SEVERUS is built on a virtuous cycle: data collected in the laboratory continuously improve the digital models, making them increasingly accurate, while simulations guide new experiments. This integrated approach promises to fill important gaps in our understanding of ultrasound-based stimulation and, consequently, to take a decisive step toward concrete clinical applications, offering new hope for the treatment of neurological diseases.
Alberto Antonietti has been a researcher since 2023 at NearLab, a laboratory of the Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering -Politecnico di Milano. His research focuses on neuroengineering and computational neuroscience, with the aim of modelling and understanding how neural plasticity and network dynamics enable cognitive functions and learning. He is also interested in the application of machine learning and artificial intelligence methods to neurotechnologies, including brain–computer interfaces and neurorobotics. He is active in the scientific communities of neuroinformatics and bioengineering, with a strong interest in promoting open science and reproducibility. Dr. Antonietti is also passionate about teaching and is committed to mentoring the next generation of bioengineers. He has supervised numerous students and PhD candidates and actively engages with students to provide research opportunities and mentorship.