Prof. Sahika Inal

Organic Bioelectronics Lab, KAUST

Organic mixed ionic and electronic conductors provide a powerful toolbox for establishing bidirectional electrical communication with biological systems. In this talk, I will introduce this emerging class of polymeric materials and demonstrate how their multifunctional properties can be leveraged to develop next-generation bioelectronic devices, operating at aqueous electrolyte interfaces. I will begin by discussing the fundamental mechanisms of mixed conduction in polymeric materials, followed by two distinct device applications. First, I will show how photoelectrochemical devices can be engineered for either non-volatility or spiking behavior, mimicking synaptic functions. Then, I will focus on a transistor-based system designed to detect proteins at the physical detection limit. Throughout the presentation, I will highlight the limitations of each platform and the critical role of materials design in advancing bioelectronic interfacing technologies.