Photo credit: www.sciencedaily.com

Innovative Biocompatible Sensor Implant Developed for Neurological Monitoring

Researchers from the University of California, Irvine and Columbia University in New York have made significant strides in medical technology by embedding transistors within a soft, flexible material. This promising advancement has led to the creation of a biocompatible sensor implant that is capable of monitoring neurological functions throughout various developmental stages of a patient.

In a recent publication in Nature Communications, the team from UC Irvine details their approach in constructing complementary, internal, ion-gated, organic electrochemical transistors. These transistors exhibit superior chemical, biological, and electronic compatibility with living tissues compared to traditional silicon-based technologies. This innovation positions the medical device to operate effectively in delicate areas of the body and adapt to organ structures as they grow.

As noted by Dion Khodagholy, co-author and Henry Samueli Faculty Excellence Professor at UC Irvine’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, much of the existing technology has not been compatible with human physiology. “Advanced electronics have been in development for several decades, providing a vast library of circuit designs. However, most current transistor and amplifier technologies do not align well with our biological processes,” he explained. To overcome this, the team utilized organic polymer materials, which align more closely with human biology, while also enabling interactions with ions—the primary communicators in the body and brain.

Traditional bioelectronics typically consist of complementary transistors made from various materials to accommodate different signal polarities. Unfortunately, this method starkly contrasts with the requirements of living tissues, as it can lead to complications like toxicity when implanted into sensitive areas. The collaboration between UC Irvine and Columbia University addresses this challenge by crafting transistors asymmetrically, allowing them to function with a single biocompatible material.

“A transistor serves as a simple valve to control current flow. In our design, the modulation process is dictated by the electrochemical doping and de-doping within the channel,” remarked Duncan Wisniewski, the first author and a Ph.D. candidate from Columbia University, who is currently a visiting scholar at UC Irvine. “By structuring devices with asymmetrical contacts, we can dictatewhere in the channel doping occurs, shifting from a negative to a positive potential. This innovative design enables the creation of a complementary device from a single material.”

This advancement not only simplifies manufacturing but also creates vast opportunities for scalability, leading to potential applications beyond neurological monitoring into virtually any biopotential processes. Khodagholy emphasized the versatility of this technology: “By allowing different device sizes while maintaining complementarity, and by permitting material variation, this innovation is broadly applicable in various contexts.”

An important feature highlighted in the study is the device’s ability to be implanted in a developing organism, subsequently adapting to tissue structural changes throughout growth—an impractical feat for conventional rigid, silicon-based implants.

“This quality makes our device particularly advantageous for pediatric use,” stated Jennifer Gelinas, co-author and associate professor at UC Irvine, who also serves as a physician at Children’s Hospital of Orange County.

In conclusion, Khodagholy expressed confidence in the transformative potential of their work: “Our development of robust complementary, integrated circuits, capable of high-quality biological signal acquisition and processing, is set to significantly enhance the landscape of bioelectronics, moving away from reliance on bulky and nonbiocompatible components.” This groundbreaking study featured contributions from a dedicated team of researchers, including Claudia Cea, Liang Ma, Alexander Ranschaert, Onni Rauhala, and Zifang Zhao from Columbia University, with support from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.

Source
www.sciencedaily.com