Current Research

Development of Smart Wound Healing Device

Electrical stimulation (ES) is well-known as a promising strategy for chronic wound treatment via modulating cellular activities, re-epithelialization, angiogenesis promotion, collagen synthesis, and even control over the microenvironment. Concurrently, ES serves as an advanced approach for precise and controllable drug delivery in electroactive-material systems, such as conducting polymer (CP)-based systems, enabling regulation of local treatment concentration and decrease of side effects. An intelligent system is expected to develop here for promoting chronic wound healing that is capable of ES-responsive for both drug delivery and stimulation conduction.

Affordable Biosensors for Rapid Detection of Harmful Algal Toxins in Aquatic Environments

Climate change is driving more frequent harmful algal blooms. These events produce dangerous toxins that threaten freshwater and marine environments leading to adverse effects on aquaculture industries and community health. Although current testing strategies are accurate at screening for algal toxins in seafood. They are expensive and require specialised processing, expertise, and equipment only available in specialised laboratories. In this project we are developing novel biosensors with custom aptamer recognition elements combined with electrochemical sensing systems, that could be used in simple and affordable field-test kits and high-throughput testing instrumentation.

Tailoring Transient Polymer Electronics through Structure and Processing

Polymer-based transient electronics allow for tailoring functional properties through structural modifications. This work investigated the structural, morphological and opto-electrochemical properties of transient poly(caprolactone)-graft-oligo(3-hexylthiophene)s, (P(CL-co-AVL)-g-O3HT), of different grafting density and the length of the O3HT grafts, using a range of advanced techniques, such as, spectroelectrochemistry, 2D-GIXRD and 4D-STEM. This study highlights the importance of structure-property relationships in designing transient electronic materials for targeted applications.

Biodegradable Conducting Polymers for Transient Electronics Applications

As transient electronics continue to advance, the demand for new materials has given rise to the exploration of conducting polymer (CP)-based transient electronic materials. The big challenge lies in balancing conductivity while introducing controlled degradable properties to CP-based transient materials. Our work aims to develop new types of graft copolymers of biopolymer and conducting polymer, which combine the electroactivity and conductivity of P3HT with the biodegradability imparted by the gelatin backbone.

3D Direct Writing of Conducting Polymers

Direct writing is a highly effective and versatile technique for the three-dimensional (3D) fabrication of conducting polymer (CP) structures. Its precise localization and exceptional controllability make it an ideal method for integrating CPs into advanced microelectronic array devices. These 3D pillar arrays hold significant promise as versatile platforms for developing functionalized, integrated biological sensors and electrically addressable array devices, paving the way for innovative applications in microelectronics and biosensing.

Wet-Printing Stretchable PEDOT:PSS Electrodes for Bioelectronics

Wearable and implantable devices are transforming healthcare by enabling better diagnosis, treatment, and research into the body’s electrical and chemical processes. Traditional metal electrodes, however, struggle with flexibility and stretchability. In this study, we developed a new wet-printing method to create highly stretchable PEDOT:PSS microelectrodes. The resulting electrodes conform well to tissues and perform as effectively as gold-plated electrodes in animal tests. This wet-printing approach holds great potential for creating flexible, stretchable electronics for wearable and implantable devices.

Stimuli-Responsive Macro-Capsules for Sustainable Chemistry

Living cells contain specialized compartments called organelles, each enclosed by membranes and performing unique tasks essential for cell function. These organelles house specific enzymes that drive tailored chemical reactions. Often, the product of one reaction becomes the starting material for the next, with each step occurring in a different compartment. This natural cascade eliminates the need for intermediate purification, making the process highly efficient. Mimicking this natural system artificially is challenging but promising.