Bioelectronics using water-gated OFETs and charged peptides

We have employed organic bioelectronics using electrically responsive surfaces using charged peptides to explore the possibility of controlling cell functions. The conformation of the peptides will switch from non-bonding (OFF) to binding (ON) conformation by applying a voltage to the electrode surface through a Syn-Notch approach. In the Syn-Notch approach, we genetically modify the cells to express streptavidin on the surface and switch to a biotin-ending peptide for control. The same platform can also be used to sense ligand-receptor interactions. We have recently been part of a large effort to develop a portable sensor array for single-molecule sensing of soluble markers for pancreatic cancer2, an effort that opens up for a new paradigm in the early diagnosis of sickness. I will also discuss that the gate induced threshold shift depends largely on the gate material and provide several practical approaches to alleviate the issue, including gate encapsulation and changes to measurement protocols.