"Implanted microelectrode arrays are increasingly popular tools to study neural function and structure and show great promise as treatments for neurological disorders. However, these devices, especially those designed to record neural activity, often fail over time. The loss of neurons at the device-tissue interface during the reactive immune response to implantation is thought to contribute to device failure, however, the exact mechanisms are not well understood. In this thesis, I explore means of restoring the neuronal population through the direct reprogramming of astrocytes using viral vectors in vitro. To apply these findings to implanted microelectrodes, vectors need to be delivered to the interfacial region. To address this, a method, detailed in this thesis, has been developed to deliver vectors using microfluidic devices. Finally, the frame work for an in vitro model of the foreign body response has been constructed, with the intention of using this model to further explore the molecular pathways that are critical for propagating the foreign body response, contributing to neuronal loss, and ultimately causing device failure."--Page ii.
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