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Updated: Sep 7, 2025

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Bridging the Bio-Electronic Interface with Biofabrication
Published on: June 6, 2012
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Flexible bioelectronic device fabricated by conductive polymer-based living material
Zenghao Wang1,2, Haotian Bai1, Wen Yu1,2
1Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100910, P. R. China.
Science Advances
|June 22, 2022
Summary
Researchers developed a novel living material using conjugated polymers and bacteria to create a flexible bioelectronic device. This device can detect biomarkers like lactate in bodily fluids and cancer cells, paving the way for advanced personal health monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Bioelectronics
- Materials Science
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Living materials offer responsive systems for environmental changes.
- Bioelectronic processes in living materials can detect biological signals and biomarkers.
- Conjugated polymers enhance bioelectronic capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To construct a living material integrated into a flexible bioelectronic device.
- To utilize the device for detecting lactate in physiological fluids.
- To explore its application in cancer cell detection.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a living material combining conjugated polymer PMNT and Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 biofilm.
- Integration into a flexible bioelectronic device.
- Wireless signal transfer to a smartphone for analysis.
Main Results:
- The living material demonstrated effective lactate detection in sweat, urine, and plasma.
- The device successfully detected and counted cancer cells.
- Optimized bioelectronic processes due to PMNT's electroconductivity.
Conclusions:
- The conductive polymer-based living material shows potential for next-generation personal health monitoring.
- Flexible bioelectronic devices offer promising applications in diagnostics.
- This approach enables real-time biomarker and cell detection.

