Switchable bioelectronics

Abstract

We review the rapidly emerging field of switchable interfaces and its implications for bioelectronics. We seek to piece together early breakthroughs and key developments, and highlight and discuss the future of switchable bioelectronics by focusing on bio-electrochemical processes based on mimicking and controlling biological environments with external stimuli. All these studies strive to answer a fundamental question: "how do living systems probe and respond to their surroundings? And, following on from that: "how one can transform these concepts to serve the practical world of bioelectronics?" The central obstacle to this vision is the absence of versatile interfaces that are able to control and regulate the means of communication between biological and electronic systems. Here, we review the overall progress made to date in building such interfaces at the level of individual biomolecules and focus on the latest efforts to generate device platforms that integrate bio-interfaces with electronics.

Keywords: Controllable catalysis; Stimuli-responsive bio-interface; Switchable bioelectronics.