Active biointegrated living electronics for managing inflammation

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Bioelectronics
• Microbiology

Background:

• Disparities between synthetic materials and living tissues challenge bioelectrical signal transduction.
• Developing seamless interfaces for electronic devices and biological tissues is crucial for disease diagnosis and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the active biointegrated living electronics (ABLE) platform.
• To enable multimodal signal transduction at the microbial-mammalian interface.
• To monitor microbial-driven intervention in psoriasis.

Main Methods:

• Developed a living biointerface using a bioelectronics layout and a Staphylococcus epidermidis-laden hydrogel composite.
• Prepared viscoelastic hydrogels using thermally released amylose polymer chains to sustain bacterial viability.
• Utilized electrophysiological recordings and wireless probing to monitor skin electrical impedance, body temperature, and humidity.

Main Results:

• The ABLE platform demonstrated capabilities across biogenic, biomechanical, and bioelectrical properties.
• The living hydrogel composite supported high bacterial viability.
• ABLE successfully monitored microbial-driven intervention in psoriasis through various physiological parameters.

Conclusions:

• The ABLE platform offers a novel approach for seamless bioelectronic interfaces.
• This living biointerface facilitates multimodal signal transduction at the microbial-mammalian nexus.
• ABLE shows potential for real-time monitoring of microbial-driven conditions like psoriasis.