Transforming healthcare through in-body bioelectronic systems
Recent advances in the development of in-body bioelectronic systems are providing new opportunities for the clinical management of various diseases and disorders. These emerging technologies are tailored to specific organs and are beginning to blend both diagnostic sensing and therapeutic actuation. The aim of these systems is to seamlessly integrate with the physiological environment, as illustrated by the diverse device strategies discussed throughout this article. Next generation modalities, such as optogenetics combining gene therapy with devices for photostimulation, are gaining popularity and offer advantages over existing therapeutic strategies. In this perspective, we explore the current state of technological developments, key challenges in the field and potential pathways for translating these innovations into clinical practice.
Authors
- Ivan R. Minev (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2055-7386)
- Michalina J. Gora (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1200-3511)
- Shriya S. Srinivasan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2508-1324)
- Thomas H. Hutson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6795-2688)
- Claudia Kathe (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6441-1755)
- John A. Rogers (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2980-3961)
- Khalil B. Ramadi
- Christoph Tondera (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4485-8143)
- Steven Ceto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0101-3685)
- Kyuhwa Lee (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3854-4690)
- Mingzheng Wu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4415-6296)
- Stacey Amanda Elshove (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-0402-181X)
Institutions
- Northwestern University (US)
- Brigham and Women's Hospital (US)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Harvard University (US)
- Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research (DE)
- Wyss Center for Bio and Neuroengineering (CH)
- University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus (DE)
- New York University (US)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)
- Université de Strasbourg (FR)
- Technische Universität Dresden (DE)
- University of Lausanne (CH)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2026-04-11
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-71188-3
- Primary Topic
- Photoreceptor and optogenetics research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Science Foundation
- Novartis Foundation
- European Commission
- International Foundation for Research in Paraplegia
- Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung
- Innosuisse - Schweizerische Agentur für Innovationsförderung
- Horizon 2020 Framework Programme