NanoBio microWorkshop. NOTE updated time 14.00

Dr Martin Hjort https://portal.research.lu.se/en/persons/martin-hjort/

Division of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics / Department of Experimental Medical Science

Title: Injectable, in-vivo assembled, bioresorbable organic bioelectronics for transient neural interfacing

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-40175-3

I will present the design and use of injectable, bioresorbable organic bioelectronic materials to transiently alter neuronal communication. A self-doped PEDOT-based derivative is engineered to form stable, water-dispersible nanoparticles that spontaneously assemble into a soft, mixed ionic–electronic conducting hydrogel upon introduction into physiological environments. The material exhibits high conductivity, tunable aggregation, and high water solubility. Injected into living brain tissue, the dispersion forms a mechanically compliant electrode that can be further modified through localized electrofunctionalization of conjugated monomers, generating dendritic structures that increase interfacial area and enhance charge transport. The resulting in-vivo-assembled electrodes integrate with neural tissue, enable stimulation, and fully bioresorb over time, demonstrating a materials-driven route to transient, minimally invasive organic electronic interfaces.

Damien Hughes https://portal.research.lu.se/en/persons/damien-hughes/

Division of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics / Department of Experimental Medical Science

Title: Lithography-Free Water Stable Conductive Polymer Nanowires for Cell Interfacing.

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c05016

Nanowires can gain intracellular access without triggering cellular stress or apoptosis. Present methods for the generation of nanowires center on the use of lithographic patterning of stiff inorganic materials (Si, GaAs, Al2O3, etc.). Conductive polymer nanowires that are soft and mixed ion–electron conducting provide a cell-friendly alternative. Traditional nanowire processing methods are incompatible with conductive polymers. We demonstrate a lithography-free organic-polymer and water-stable nanowire platform. The nanowires are produced by filling a nanoporous membrane with conductive polymer solution, which is then cross-linked to imbue water stability. Nanowires can be produced in a vertical configuration, while remaining partially embedded in the nanoporous membrane, or completely free from the nanoporous membrane and suspended in solution. Vertical nanowires can be used for direct cell interfacing, for example with human primary hematopoietic stem cells, while nanowires in solution can be injected in vivo for biomedical applications.

Umut Aydemir https://portal.research.lu.se/en/persons/umut-aydemir/

Division of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics / Department of Experimental Medical Science

Title: Transient Organic Bioelectronics: Utilizing Ionic & Electronic Processes for Cardiovascular Disease Modulation

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-51111-4

Acute cardiac arrhythmias require rapid and reliable intervention, yet conventional defibrillators and implantable devices demand bulky equipment or surgical access. To address this gap, we developed an injectable cardiac stimulator, a syringe-based nanoparticle formulation that self-assembles into a transient conductive structure upon contact with the beating heart. This in situ–formed electrode conforms to cardiac motion, provides high conductivity and tissue-compatible mechanics, enables ECG monitoring, restores arrhythmias in vivo, and naturally bioresorbs without the need for device retrieval. This technology demonstrates that minimally invasive, transient cardiac bioelectronics can actively control heart rhythm and correct arrhythmia when rapid intervention is needed.