Materials for Bioelectronics in Healthcare Strategy and Action Plan released

The Henry Royce Institute has published a report that aims to future-proof the UK's bioelectronics for healthcare sector through materials innovation.

The report features insights from over 60 stakeholders active in materials for bioelectronics research, commercialisation and clinical use.

Data on the activity of bioelectronics for healthcare in the UK, materials in use, and recommended action plans to secure the future of the sector - primarily a new virtual centre for materials innovation for bioelectronics in healthcare - are presented.

Devices such as pacemakers, blood glucose monitors and cochlear implants have shown the benefit bioelectronics can bring to healthcare, however, major challenges remain in translating new technologies into industry.

A roadmap is given, outlining the materials properties required by bioelectronics applications from now to 2040. This contributes to identifying three ‘Grand Challenges’ that will form a focal point for researchers and innovators.

It is hoped that these challenge themes will drive the discovery and translation of bioelectronic materials, with properties specified in the roadmap.

The themes are:

• Long-term implantable materials
• Materials with ideal electrical properties
• Materials that improve sensor performance in vivo.

According to the strategy, four key areas that require immediate focus and action:

• Facilities: Elevating the quality control standards and skills in existing facilities and investing in new facilities for the standards required by this highly controlled sector.
• Materials supply: Improve access to, and knowledge of, biocompatible materials through data standards, networking and advisory services.
• Standards: Create new standards or refresh existing ones to make them suitable for bioelectronic materials, speeding up timescale and lowering development costs.
• Clinical focus: Promote the challenges and needs of clinicians and their industrial suppliers to those researching solutions.