Living bioelectronics could possibly help psoriasis

[Fred]

UChicago Chemistry Prof. Bozhi Tian’s lab has been working on a patch to monitor and improve psoriasis.

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Living bioelectronics is a combination of living cells, gel, and electronics that can integrate with living tissue.

The patches are made of sensors, bacterial cells, and a gel made from starch and gelatin. Tests in mice found that the devices could continuously monitor and improve psoriasis-like symptoms, without irritating skin.

Typically, bioelectronics consist of the electronics themselves, plus a soft layer to make them less irritating to the body. But Tian’s group wondered if they could add new capabilities by integrating a third component: living cells themselves. The group was intrigued with the healing properties of certain bacteria such as S. epidermidis, a microbe that naturally lives on human skin and has been shown to reduce inflammation.

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, S. epidermidis 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.

In tests with mice prone to psoriasis-like skin conditions, there was a significant reduction in symptoms.

“We’re very excited because it’s been a decade and a half in the making,” said Tian.

Source: uchicago.edu

*Funding: U.S. Army Research Office, National Science Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Acceleration Program, University of Chicago startup grant, Rutgers University startup grant.