The Geeky Mind

Engineers have unveiled a groundbreaking patch that merges sensors with living bacteria, creating a new way to interact with the body and treat skin conditions.

Simiao Niu, a researcher who battled psoriasis as a child, often faced uncertainty about his treatments. He wondered if there could be a better solution. Inspired by his work on the Apple Watch’s heart rhythm monitor, Niu imagined a wearable device to help people manage skin ailments like psoriasis. Now, as an assistant professor at Rutgers-New Brunswick, Niu has helped develop a pioneering prototype: a “living bioelectronic” device designed to treat psoriasis.

This innovation, detailed in Science magazine, is a collaboration between Niu, researchers at the University of Chicago, and Columbia University. The patch integrates advanced electronics, living cells, and a hydrogel, showing promising results in experiments with mice.

The patch, about 1 inch in diameter and wafer-thin, is a fusion of electronic chips, bacterial cells, and a starch-gelatin gel. Tests in mice revealed that the device could continuously monitor and alleviate psoriasis-like symptoms without causing skin irritation.

Niu’s invention represents a significant leap from traditional bioelectronics, which typically encase electronic components in a soft synthetic layer to minimize irritation. Unlike these conventional devices, the new patch uses living cells as part of its therapeutic approach. The device includes Staphylococcus epidermidis, a bacteria that naturally resides on human skin and helps reduce inflammation. This bacterium is incorporated into the device’s gel casing, along with a flexible printed circuit that forms the device’s structure.

When applied to the skin, the bacteria release compounds that reduce inflammation. Meanwhile, sensors in the flexible circuits monitor healing indicators like skin impedance, temperature, and humidity. This data is wirelessly transmitted to a computer or smartphone, allowing patients to track their healing process in real time.
Reflecting on his time at Apple, where he often received letters from grateful customers crediting their Apple Watches for detecting life-threatening heart conditions, Niu said, “When you create things that positively impact people’s lives, it’s incredibly motivating.” This motivation drives his current research at Rutgers.

The next step for Niu and his team is to conduct clinical trials to test the device on human patients. Success in these trials would pave the way for FDA approval and eventual commercialization.

Among the study’s authors are Fuying Dong and Chi Han, graduate students in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Rutgers. Together, they are pioneering a new era in bioelectronics, with the potential to revolutionize treatment for a range of skin conditions.