About

Jonathan Judy is an Associate Professor in the Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences at the University of Florida, within the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. His research investigates the fate of contaminants such as nanomaterials, metals, microplastics, and nitrogen transported from areas used for intensive agriculture and grazing, and their effects on terrestrial biota. His work includes examining the direct effects of contaminants on soil microorganisms, invertebrates like earthworms, and crop plants, as well as exploring potential indirect effects resulting from disruption of important relationships between plants and soil microorganisms. Judy's research contributes to understanding soil health, nutrient and agrochemical management, water quality, and watershed management.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Neuroscience
• Computer Science
• Psychology
• Materials science
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical engineering
• Artificial Intelligence
• Psychiatry
• Cell biology
• Cognitive science
• Anatomy
• Biology
• Internal medicine
• Biophysics
• Biochemistry

Selected publications

• Reliability of ultra-thin metal films integrated onto embossed and bonded liquid-crystal-polymer (LCP) sheets for neural-interface applications

  Frontiers in Neuroscience · 2026-04-15

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Liquid crystal polymer (LCP) is increasingly used in flexible implantable bioelectronic devices due to its low moisture uptake, chemical stability, and ability to form robust thermoplastic bonds. However, integrating fine-pitch thin-film metallization into bonded embossed LCP structures presents challenges related to pattern fidelity, bond integrity, alignment accuracy, and long-term electrical reliability, particularly when the metal thickness is small relative to the surface roughness. In this work, we present and characterize a fabrication process for integrating a 500-nm-thick sputtered Cr/Au thin-film metallization onto a 25-μm-thick embossed high-temperature LCP (HT-LCP) substrate, patterned into long (20 cm) and narrow (8 μm) traces using lift-off. Bond integrity between the metallized HT-LCP and a low-temperature LCP (LT-LCP) layer was evaluated using peel testing, while structural and electrical integrity were assessed using NanoCT imaging and resistance measurements. Long-term reliability was evaluated using reactive accelerated aging (RAA) at 87 °C in physiological saline with 10 mM hydrogen peroxide. The results show that the thin metal layer does not degrade bond strength and that embedded traces maintain structural and electrical integrity through bonding and aging. After 12 days of RAA testing, no measurable changes in electrical performance were observed. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy demonstrated that electrodes coated with a 100-nm sputtered Pt layer exhibited approximately 2 × lower impedance than flat Pt electrodes, attributed to increased surface roughness. Additionally, the bonded LCP structure was thinned from 50 μm to 10 μm using CF4/O2 reactive ion etching with >90% uniformity. These results demonstrate that thin-film metallization integrated into bonded embossed LCP systems can achieve high interconnect density without compromising mechanical or electrical reliability. This work provides practical guidelines for the design of thin, flexible, and durable LCP-based implantable bioelectronic devices.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Miniaturized, RF-Based, and Battery-Free Stimulators Packaged with Polymer-Metal Flex Circuits for Implant Applications

  2025-06-29 · 1 citations

  articleSenior author

  This paper describes the fabrication, packaging, assembly, and characterization of a very small (~1 mm<sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sup>) assemblage of an RF-powered, wireless, and battery-free neuromodulation device that is integrated with a microfabricated thin-film polymer-metal flex circuit. The implantable device consists of a microfabricated polyimide-metal flex circuit that is bonded to an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and a surface-mount inductor (SMI) using a conductive epoxy with a microstamping and aligned-bonding process. The assemblage is encapsulated in silicone to support operation while submerged in saline or while implanted. Wireless power is delivered through an RF link at 439 MHz. Two versions of the device were developed. One version has a pair of 280-um-diameter stimulation electrodes, and the other version has pads for the integration of a chip-scale LED. Both versions were successfully operated in air and saline. This work advances ultraminiature leadless neural interfaces for anatomically constrained environments and sets the foundation for long-term preclinical evaluation.

  PublisherDOI

• Fabrication Process for Ultra-Reliable Polyimide-Based Neural-Interface Technology

  2025-06-29 · 1 citations

  articleSenior author

  Although polyimide can be used to produce high-channel-count neural interfaces with microelectrodes, their chronic reliability as an implant is a concern. In this paper we compared two different surface-treatment methods (O<inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> plasma and KOH/HCl soaks) to increase the strength and reliability of a bond formed between two fully cured layers of polyimide. Peel tests were used to quantify adhesion strength and were performed after test samples were soaked in RAA for days. The surface treatment based on O<inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> plasma formed a relatively strong bond (280 N/m) that was rapidly compromised by a 7-day RAA soak test. The bond formed by the surface treatment based on KOH and HCl soaks was far stronger (~500 N/m) and was not compromised by even a 15-day RAA soak test.

  PublisherDOI

• Design, Fabrication, and Characterization of Allograft Regenerative Peripheral-Nerve Interfaces (A-RPNI)

  2025-06-29 · 1 citations

  articleSenior author

  Although regenerative peripheral-nerve interfaces (RPNIs) have shown promise in restoring neural connectivity, existing approaches often suffer from under sampling nerve activity. Here, we report the design, fabrication, and in vitro characterization of an allograft regenerative peripheral-nerve interface (A-RPNI)—the first to embed a dense three-dimensional microelectrode array into a decellularized nerve allograft. In contrast to our prior Tissue-Engineered Electronic Nerve-Interface (TEENI) approach, which employed templated hydrogels or empty conduits, the A-RPNI integrates a stingray-shaped thread-set design directly into the native extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffold of the allograft. This new design enables more channels to be integrated into a dense 3-D configuration with improved electrode-positioning precise while not increasing the lead, packaging, nor surgical complexity. We anticipate that leveraging the natural ECM architecture of the allograft will enhance axonal regeneration around the 3-D microelectrode array, ultimately providing a more effective platform for peripheral-nerve interfacing.

  PublisherDOI

• Fabrication of Microelectrodes on Microchip Sidewalls for Injectable Biomedical Devices

  2024-07-15

  article

  Implantable Medical Devices (IMDs) leveraging advanced CMOS technology promise to revolutionize neural network modulation and brain activity monitoring through miniaturized, battery-free designs. Conventional miniaturization efforts face challenges due to the reliance on off-chip components and complex assembly that increase the implant's volume and reduce reliability. Our research introduces a novel integration technique by fabricating microelectrodes on the sidewalls of encapsulated CMOS chips, significantly reducing the size of the implant. Central to our approach is the employment of a plasma-focused ion beam (PFIB), enabling precise and efficient electrode fabrication.

  PublisherDOI

• Making bullying everyone’s concern reduces rates in English and Welsh primary schools – new research

  2024-11-26

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Design, Fabrication, and Implantation of Hollow Tissue-Engineered Electronic Nerve Interfaces

  2024-07-15 · 2 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Tissue-engineered electronic nerve interfaces use arrays of microelectrodes suspended in hydrogel scaffolds to form regenerative neuroelectronic interfaces. Although high signal-to-noise ratio recordings of action potentials have been achieved in chronic experiments, one shortcoming is that the hydrogel degradation was often insufficient, with a significant amount remaining that blocked some regeneration. Here we report on a new approach that uses a hollow TEENI that has no hydrogel to overcome these limitations and ensure a smoother degradation process and a more natural nerve healing. This evolution marks a significant step forward in the development of TEENI technology.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• ID: 198106 Temp Title

  Neuromodulation Technology at the Neural Interface · 2023-06-01

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Proceedings of the 10th annual deep brain stimulation think tank: Advances in cutting edge technologies, artificial intelligence, neuromodulation, neuroethics, interventional psychiatry, and women in neuromodulation

  Frontiers in Human Neuroscience · 2023 · 29 citations

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Computer Science
  • Neuroscience

  . Dr. Helen Mayberg from Mt. Sinai, NY was the keynote speaker. She discussed milestones and her experiences in developing depression DBS. The DBS Think Tank was founded in 2012 and provides an open platform where clinicians, engineers and researchers (from industry and academia) can freely discuss current and emerging DBS technologies as well as the logistical and ethical issues facing the field. The consensus among the DBS Think Tank X speakers was that DBS has continued to expand in scope however several indications have reached the "trough of disillusionment." DBS for depression was considered as "re-emerging" and approaching a slope of enlightenment. DBS for depression will soon re-enter clinical trials. The group estimated that globally more than 244,000 DBS devices have been implanted for neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. This year's meeting was focused on advances in the following areas: neuromodulation in Europe, Asia, and Australia; cutting-edge technologies, closed loop DBS, DBS tele-health, neuroethics, lesion therapy, interventional psychiatry, and adaptive DBS.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Reactive-Accelerated-Aging Testing of Thinned Tissue-Engineered Electronic Nerve Interfaces

  2023-07-24 · 2 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Tissue responses can cause a significant reduction in the performance of microelectrode-based devices implanted into neural tissue. Since the reduction of the thickness of implants has been shown to reduce tissue response, in this work we report on our effects to reduce the thickness of our tissue-engineered-electronic-nerve-interface (TEENI) devices and characterize their long-term reliability in a harsh environment. We were able to reduce the thickness of the TEENI threads that are to be located in nerve tissue from ~10 μm to ~2.5 μm in total thickness. To maintain the handleability needed during the assembly of the TEENI device into the hydrogel-based scaffold, we maintained full thickness elsewhere in the TEENI device and added support rails. During longitudinal reactive-accelerated-aging (RAA) experiments performed over 6 days and at 67°C, which corresponds to ~48 days in tissue, we observed that some channels maintain a stable impedance and others do not. Although analyses performed using a scanning electron microscope could clearly reveal delamination in some channels that exhibited large changes in impedance, it did not always correlate. Some channels with significant changes in impedance did not exhibit any observable delamination. Additional work is needed to study the relationship between changes in impedance and structural changes in the device, with the goal of improving device design to achieve longer-lasting devices.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• Wireless Biosignal Recording and Stimulation System

  NSF · $483k · 2005–2009

• NIH Grant R21NS062324

  NIH · $388k · 2011

• IGERT: NeuroEngineering Training Program

  NSF · $2.8M · 1999–2007

• The Tissue-Engineered Electronic Nerve Interface (TEENI)

  NIH · $2.4M · 2019–2024

• Towards Neuromote: A Miniature, Impantable, Many-Channel, and Wireless Neural Recording, Processing, and Telemetry System

  NSF · $450k · 2008–2012

Frequent coauthors

• Michael S. Okun

  56 shared

• Aysegul Gunduz

  University of Florida

  54 shared

• Helen Brontë‐Stewart

  Stanford Medicine

  53 shared

• Francisco A. Ponce

  Barrow Neurological Institute

  53 shared

• Umer Akbar

  Brown University

  53 shared

• Philip A. Starr

  Neurological Surgery

  53 shared

• Kelly D. Foote

  University of Florida

  53 shared

• Christopher R. Butson

  University of Florida

  52 shared

Education

• PhD, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department

  University of California Berkeley

  1996

• M.S., Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department

  University of California Berkeley

  1994

• B.S.E.E., Electrical Engineering

  University of Minnesota System

  1990