Nanowire Nanoelectronic/Cell Assemblies as Hybrid Functional Biomaterials

这个项目的中心目标是开发可寻址纳米线阵列之间的活动接口 电子设备和细胞来创建二维和三维功能生物材料。纳米级 表示用于产生与细胞的活性界面的装置的自然长度尺度， 纳米结构是定义生命系统中细胞间通讯和信号传导的关键组分， 然而，这种规模的接口实际上是未知的研究领域。将探讨的总体目标， 解决这一问题和实现中心项目目标的具体措施如下。第一，纳米线纳米电子的极限 将表征器件/电池接口功能和灵敏度。与细胞的通讯， 从（细胞输出）和刺激（细胞输入），通过直接的电机制和化学/生物 将开发信号检测/释放，并开发相应的检测灵敏度和空间分辨率， 将阐明不同的模式。第二，不同类型的功能纳米线的可寻址阵列 将开发与蜂窝网络接口的设备并描述它们的行为。一个重要 这项工作的重点是利用自下而上与自上而下纳米科学的独特能力， 将开发（i）在柔性、生物相容性聚合物基底上的界面纳米电子阵列，（ii）折叠或 使用穿孔的聚合物基底以增强层间 相互作用，和（iii）纳米电子器件突出的衬底平面，使接口“进入” 三维细胞阵列和组织。拟议的项目有可能影响生物医学 进行实质性研究，包括建立强大的新工具来理解 相互作用的细胞网络的行为，复杂的，基于电的细胞/组织的发展 假体和其他医疗器械的界面，以及创造具有潜在生物相容性的新生物材料。 不同的应用，如混合信息处理。

The central goal of this project will be to develop active interfaces between arrays of addressable nanowire electronic devices and cells to create two- and three-dimensional functional biomaterials. The nanoscale represents a natural length scale for devices used to create active interfaces to cells because biological nanostructures are the key components that define intercellular communication and signaling in living systems, yet this scale of interface is virtually uncharted research territory. The overall objectives that will be explored to address this territory and to meet the central project goal are as follows. First, limits of nanowire nanoelectronic device/cell interface functionality and sensitivity will be characterized. Communication with cells, both recording from (cell output) and stimulation of (cell input), through direct electrical mechanisms and chemical/biological signal detection/release will be developed and the corresponding detection sensitivity and spatial resolution for different modes will be elucidated. Second, addressable arrays of different types of functional nanowire devices interfaced with cellular networks will be developed and their behavior delineated. An important emphasis of this work, which exploits the unique capabilities of bottom-up versus top-down nanoscience, will be to develop (i) interfaced nanoelectronic arrays on flexible, biocompatible polymeric substrates, (ii) folded or layered nanowire/cell three-dimensional arrays using perforated polymeric substrates to enhance layer-to-layer interactions, and (iii) nanoelectronic devices projecting out of the substrate plane to enable interfacing `into' three-dimensional cellular arrays and tissue. The proposed project has the potential to impact biomedical research in substantial ways, including the establishment of powerful new tools for understanding the behavior of interacting cellular networks, the development of sophisticated, electrically-based cell/tissue interfaces for prosthetics and other medical devices, and the creation of new biomaterials with potential for diverse applications, such as in hybrid information processing.