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Many emerging medical technologies rely on seamless integration between biological systems and electronics. This requires materials that are soft, electrically conductive, and biologically active – properties that have been difficult to combine in a single system. Research teams led by Prof. Dr. Ivan Minev (TUD Dresden University of Technology, Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden) and by Dr. Christoph Tondera (Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden and Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden at TUD) have now developed such a material.
The bioinspired hydrogel combines electrical and biochemical signal control for the first time. It binds signaling factors that stimulate cell growth and can release them on demand using electrical stimulation. It also functions as a sensor, capable of measuring biological parameters such as oxygen levels. This approach opens new possibilities for medical devices and implants, for example in the treatment of nervous system damages. The results were published in Advanced Materials.
A material inspired by nature
For implants to be well tolerated by the body, their mechanical properties must match those of the surrounding tissue. In the nervous system in particular, this means that materials should be soft, flexible, and electrically conductive. Inspired by the natural cellular environment – the extracellular matrix (ECM) – the researchers developed a water-based material (hydrogel) that mimics key properties of the ECM while remaining electrically active. One component of the ECM is glycosaminoglycans, long-chain, highly negatively charged sugar molecules. These were combined with star-shaped polyethylene glycol (starPEG) to form a three-dimensional network capable of retaining water and other substances. The researchers then incorporated the semiconducting organic polymer PEDOT into this bioinspired hydrogel. The result is a new material (PEDOT:sGAGh) with promising properties for applications at the interface of biomedicine and electronics.
Conductive, tunable, and biologically active
In a series of experiments, the researchers showed that PEDOT integrates into the hydrogel without disrupting its nanostructure. Instead, small conductive clusters form within the material, enabling electrical signal transmission. At the same time, the hydrogel remains soft and highly hydrated – key properties for use in the body. The electrical properties of the material can be precisely tuned, for example by adjusting the amount of PEDOT and the density of negative charges within the network. The team also demonstrated that bioactive molecules can be incorporated and released in a controlled manner. This is particularly relevant for implants designed to deliver therapeutic agents in addition to electrical stimulation. “By applying weak electrical signals, we can precisely control whether growth factors remain bound within the material or are released. Our cell culture experiments show that these factors are not altered during the electrical stimulation and remain biologically active: following controlled release of the growth factor VEGF, cells formed tubular structures characteristic of early-stage blood vessel formation,” explains Dr. Teuku Fawzul Akbar, a researcher in Prof. Minev’s group and first author of the publication.
Beyond controlled release, the material can also function as a sensor. The team demonstrated this by measuring oxygen levels. In a biohybrid circuit, a drop in oxygen triggered an electrical signal that in turn initiated the release of a growth factor. This subsequently promoted the growth of nerve cells in cell culture. “Our material is the first to combine the soft properties of biological tissues with their natural modes of communication: signaling via biomolecules and electrical impulses. This represents an important step toward new biomedical devices and implants,” says Dr. Christoph Tondera, group leader from the Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden and the Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden at TUD.
Toward improved brain–computer interfaces and smart implants
The hydrogel translates a principle from biology into technology by linking biochemical signaling with electrical control. In the future, the material could be used in electrode coatings or bioelectronic components for medical applications. In the long term, the technology may help improve brain-machine-interfaces. One potential application is brain implants that not only record or stimulate signals but combine both functions. This could improve treatment options for patients with conditions such as epilepsy or Parkinson’s disease. “As a next step, we will investigate the long-term stability, performance, and biocompatibility of the material. Our goal is to develop a prototype and evaluate it under clinically relevant conditions,” says Prof. Ivan Minev, Chair of Electronic Tissue Technologies at the Else Kröner Fresenius Center (EKFZ) for Digital Health at TU Dresden and the Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden. As part of the COATARRAY project, Prof. Minev’s team is already collaborating with neurosurgeons at Dresden University Hospital. Existing electrodes for deep brain stimulation are being improved based on the new material.
Participating institutions and funding
The Chair of Electronic Tissue Technologies is based at the Else Kröner Fresenius Center (EKFZ) for Digital Health at TUD’s Faculty of Medicine and at the Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research (IPF) in Dresden. The study also involved researchers from the Dresden Integrated Center for Applied Physics and Photonic Materials (DC-IAPP), the Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden at TUD (CRTD), and the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam. The work was funded by the European Research Council (ERC) and the German Research Foundation (DFG).
The publication is available at: https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.72866
Else Kröner Fresenius Center (EKFZ) for Digital Health
The EKFZ for Digital Health at the Faculty of Medicine at TUD Dresden University of Technology and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden was established in September 2019. It receives funding of around 40 million euros from the Else Kröner Fresenius Foundation for a period of ten years. The center focuses its research activities on innovative, medical and digital technologies at the direct interface with patients. The aim here is to fully exploit the potential of digitalization in medicine to significantly and sustainably improve healthcare, medical research and clinical practice.
Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden (IPF)
At the IPF, we push the boundaries of materials science. Driven by bioinspiration, enriched by data science and translational expertise, we lay the foundations for advanced materials and systems to enable sustainability, healthcare, and information technologies. Located in one of Europe’s most dynamic research hubs, the IPF maintains strong partnerships with academia and actively pursues technology transfer.
Prof. Dr. Carsten Werner
Scientific Director of the IPF
werner@ipfdd.de
+49 351 4658 531
Publication
Teuku Fawzul Akbar, Carlos Alejandro Jimenez-Rodriguez, Railia Biktimirova, Ilka Hermes, Thomas Kurth, My Duyen Pham, Mikhail V. Tsurkan, Jens Friedrichs, Francis L. C. Morgan, Hans Kleemann, Olga Guskova, Uwe Freudenberg, Peter Fratzl, Carsten Werner, Christoph Tondera, Ivan R. Minev: Conductive Hydrogels for Exogenous Sensing and Cell Fate Control; Advanced Materials, 2026.
DOI: 10.1002/adma.72866
The publication is available at: https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.72866
PEDOT_sGAGh (black) as sensor units on a flexible substrate
Source: IPF-DD/ I. Minev
Copyright: IPF-DD/ I. Minev
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