Jiuyun Shi holds a small device he and a team of University of Chicago scientists invented that integrates living cells, gel, and sensors to create “living bioelectronics” to heal the skin. Credit: Jiuyun Shi and Bozhi Tian/University of Chicago
For many years, Professor Bozhi Tian’s laboratory has been exploring how to meld the realms of electronics—typically rigid, metallic, and bulky—with the soft, flexible, and delicate nature of the human body. In their most recent research,they have created a prototype for what they call “living bioelectronics”: a combination of living cells, gel, and electronics that can integrate with living tissue.
But Tian’s lab specializes in uncovering the fundamental principles behind how living cells and tissue interact with synthetic materials; their previous work has included a. In this study, they took a new approach. Typically, bioelectronics consists of the electronics themselves, plus a soft layer to make them less irritating to the body.
They created a device with three components. The framework is a thin, flexible electronic circuit with sensors. It is overlaid with a gel created from tapioca starch and gelatin, which is ultrasoft and mimics the makeup of tissue itself. Lastly,microbes are tucked into the gel. When the device is placed on skin, the bacteria secrete compounds that reduce inflammation, and the sensor monitors the skin for signals like skin temperature and humidity.
Since the healing effects are provided by microbes, “It’s like a living drug—you don’t have to refill it,” said Saehyun Kim, the other co-first author of the paper and a current PhD student in Tian’s lab.In addition to treating psoriasis, the scientists can envision applications such as patches to speed wound healing on patients with diabetes.
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