Biomaterials integrated with electronic elements: En route to bioelectronics

Bioelectronics is a progressing interdisciplinary research field that involves the integration of biomaterials with electronic transducers, such as electrodes, field-effect-transistors or piezoelectric crystals. Surface engineering of biomaterials, such as enzymes, antigen-antibodies or DNA on the electronic supports, controls the electrical properties of the biomaterial-transducer interface and enables the electronic transduction of biorecognition events, or biocatalyzed transformation, on the transducers. Bioelectronic sensing devices, biosensors of tailored sensitivities and specificities, are being developed.