Innovative Microtransducers for Multifunctional Activity Monitoring of Electroactive Cellular Aggregates

Microtransducers are emerging as a pivotal technology in cellular biology, allowing for high-precision monitoring of electroactive cellular aggregates like neurons and cardiac muscle cells. These versatile devices can capture not only electrical signals but also a range of other parameters such as temperature, pH, and concentrations of other relevant biomarkers, providing a holistic view of cellular interactions and evolution. This multifunctionality is key to understanding complex biological phenomena and holds promise for breakthroughs in biomedical research.

This lecture will delve into the fundamentals of these innovative systems, focusing on an advanced class of materials: organic conductive and semiconductive polymers. These materials are revolutionizing the field due to their unique mechanical properties, indeed enabling a fully seamless integration with living cellular systems in both 2D and 3D environments. By integrating with biological tissue at this level, organic microtransducers open new avenues for research and application. Examples of such integration will be presented, demonstrating the potential of these devices to transform our understanding of cellular biology and to pave the way for translational applications in precision medicine.