Jia Liu, Ph.D.
BME Faculty Candidate and Guest Speaker
Stanford University

Abstract:
Rapid progress in materials science and electronics has blurred the distinction between man-made electronic devices and biological systems. Seamless integration of electronic devices with living systems could contribute substantially to basic biology as well as to clinical diagnostics and therapeutics through tissue-electronics interfaces. In this presentation, I will first introduce a syringe-injectable tissue-like mesh electronics for merging nanoelectronic arrays and circuits with the brain in three-dimension (3D). The injectable mesh electronics has micrometer feature size and effective bending stiffness values similar to neural tissues. These unprecedented features lead to the gliosis-free and 3D interpenetrated electronics-neuron network, enabling the chronically stable neuron activity recording at single-neuron resolution in behaving animals. Second, I will describe a fully stretchable electronic sensor array through the development of multiple chemically-orthogonal and intrinsically stretchable polymeric electronic materials. The fully stretchable sensor array has modulus similar to biological tissues, allowing an intimate mechanical coupling with heart for a stable and anatomically precise electrophysiological recording. Its application for high-throughput and high-density mapping of 3D cardiac arrhythmogenic activities on the porcine model with a chronic atrial fibrillation will be discussed. Third, I will present a fundamentally new approach for a direct formation of electrical connections with genetically-targeted cells. This approach is accomplished through the convergence of genome engineering, in situ enzymatic reaction and polymer chemistry. These genetically-targeted electrodes are inherently assembled to the subcellular-specific region of neurons throughout the intact functional neural tissue and in stem cell-derived human brain organoids. Importantly, this system also enables the cellular-resolution tuning of local neuronal activity and bridging of brain regions to external devices for the targeted recording. Finally, I will briefly discuss the prospects for future advances in bioelectronics to overcome challenges in neuroscience and cardiology through the development of “cyborg animals” with single-cell resolution and cell-type specificity.