Wearable Light Delivery in Optogenetics Clinical Applications

The field of optogenetics has the potential to transform how we engage the peripheral nervous system and end organs to control conditions ranging from chronic pain, inflammation, and endocrine function. In anticipation of moving the technology toward a first in human application, we propose the development of a non-invasive and non-implanted system for delivering transcutaneous light to regulate the function of light sensitive proteins. The development of a wearable light delivery system, when coupled with a safe and effective means by which peripheral tissues are genetically engineered to be responsive to light, may thus offer therapeutic capabilities in a single, lightweight device.