Biodegradable materials and systems for electronically active device-based tissue regeneration

Studies of biodegradable materials and devices for potential use as temporary resorbable electronic medical implants are presented. The integration of electronic functionality within biomaterials is a powerful avenue to interface therapeutic medical implants with host tissue. Such devices could be integrated with telemetry to remotely stimulate tissue, monitor cell function, or dynamically deliver drugs, for example. Silicon-based devices exhibit many advantages for these applications. However, these materials often produce deleterious interactions with soft tissues. Traditional medical biomaterials offer advantageous biocompatibility and biodegradability, but often lack the appropriate electronic properties for these applications. Hence, the potential to use melanin, a natural semiconducting pigment, as an electronic biomaterial was evaluated. Melanin exhibits adequate electronic conductivities, exceptional biocompatibility and in vivo degradation. This naturally occurring organic semiconductor may provide a suitable electronic biomaterial interface. Biodegradable materials have the potential to serve as structural and functional materials in electronically active devices. Organic thin film transistor structures using a primarily biodegradable material platform were fabricated and the electronic performance of these devices was evaluated. These devices performed stably after exposure to water and were completely resorbed after 50 days in vitro. These studies collectively demonstrate the potential to integrate biodegradable materials with electronic functionality for therapeutic applications including regenerative medicine.