Organic Bioelectronics

An organic electronic ion pump (OEIP). The device uses electrophoretic transport through thin polymer films to deliver ions, neurotransmitters, plant hormones, and other small charged molecules into living tissue.
An organic electronic ion pump (OEIP). The device uses electrophoretic transport through thin polymer films to deliver ions, neurotransmitters, plant hormones, and other small charged molecules into living tissue.

Communicating across the biology-technology divide.

Principal investigator: Daniel Simon

In the Organic Bioelectronics (OBE) group, we harness the unique properties of organic electronic materials to fuse biology and technology—bridging the “languages” of ions and molecules with that of electrons. We address critical challenges in accurately interfacing with biochemical and physiological signals, overcoming barriers to targeted therapies and personalized medicine. Our mission is to pioneer minimally invasive, high-precision devices and technologies that integrate naturally with living systems.

As trailblazers in iontronic technologies and in situ bioelectronics, we develop transformative solutions for drug delivery, neuromodulation, biosensing, and beyond. By building on our successes—such as self-organizing in vivo electrodes and on-demand chemical delivery platforms—we aim to shape next-generation approaches for treating complex disorders, from the central and enteric nervous systems to difficult-to-treat cancers. Our interdisciplinary, curiosity-driven culture unites expertise in materials science, chemistry, biology, and engineering, inspiring creative ideas that blur the borders between living tissue and technology. Ultimately, we strive to translate breakthroughs in organic bioelectronics into tangible, life-changing benefits for individuals and society.

Organic Bioelectronics research leaders

Major projects

News about Organic Bioelectronics

Person in protective gear working with microscope.

Individual cells can be connected to plastic electrodes

Researchers at LiU have succeeded in creating a close connection between individual cells and organic electronics. The study lays the foundation for future treatment of neurological and other diseases with very high precision.

Translucent droplet on an electronic circiut.

Electrodes grown in the brain

The boundaries between biology and technology are becoming blurred. Researchers at Linköping, Lund, and Gothenburg universities in Sweden have successfully grown electrodes in living tissue using the body’s molecules as triggers.

Two droplets, one yellow and one clear, on circuits.

Accurate drug dosages with proton traps

Researchers at LiU have developed a proton trap that makes organic electronic ion pumps more precise when delivering drugs. In the long term, the ion pumps may help patients with symptoms of neurological diseases.

Organic Bioelectronics group members

Publications in Organic Bioelectronics

2025

Theresia Arbring Sjöström, Anton I. Ivanov, Nariman Kiani, Iwona Bernacka Wojcik, Jennifer Samuelsson, Helena Saarela Unemo, Dionysios Xydias, Lida-Evmorfia Vagiaki, Sotiris Psilodimitrakopoulos, Ioannis Konidakis, Kyriaki Sidiropoulou, Emmanuel Stratakis, Magnus Berggren, Christophe Bernard, Daniel Simon (2025) Miniaturized Iontronic Micropipettes for Precise and Dynamic Ionic Modulation of Neuronal and Astrocytic Activity Small (Article in journal) Continue to DOI

2024

Hanne Biesmans, Alex Bersellini Farinotti, Tobias Abrahamsson, Katriann Arja, Caroline Lindholm, Xenofon Strakosas, Jennifer Gerasimov, Daniel Simon, Camilla I. Svensson, Chiara Musumeci, Magnus Berggren (2024) From synthetic vesicles to living cells: Anchoring conducting polymers to cell membrane Science Advances, Vol. 10, Article eadr2882 (Article in journal) Continue to DOI
Diana Priyadarshini, Tobias Abrahamsson, Hanne Biesmans, Xenofon Strakosas, Jennifer Gerasimov, Magnus Berggren, Daniel Simon, Chiara Musumeci (2024) Enzymatically Polymerized Organic Conductors on Native Lipid Membranes Langmuir, Vol. 40, p. 27299-27306 (Article in journal) Continue to DOI
Diana Priyadarshini, Changbai Li, Rebecka Rilemark, Tobias Abrahamsson, Mary Donahue, Xenofon Strakosas, Fredrik Ek, Roger Olsson, Chiara Musumeci, Simone Fabiano, Magnus Berggren, Eva Olsson, Daniel Simon, Jennifer Gerasimov (2024) Tuning the Organic Electrochemical Transistor (OECT) Threshold Voltage with Monomer Blends Advanced Electronic Materials (Article in journal) Continue to DOI
Fredrik Ek, Tobias Abrahamsson, Marios Savvakis, Stefan Bormann, Abdelrazek H. Mousa, Muhammad Anwar Shameem, Karin Hellman, Amit Singh Yadav, Lazaro Hiram Betancourt, Peter Ekstrom, Jennifer Gerasimov, Daniel Simon, Gyorgy Marko-Varga, Martin Hjort, Magnus Berggren, Xenofon Strakosas, Roger Olsson (2024) In Vivo Photopolymerization: Achieving Detailed Conducting Patterns for Bioelectronics Advanced Science, Vol. 11, Article e2408628 (Article in journal) Continue to DOI
Bernhard Burtscher, Chiara Diacci, Anatolii Makhinia, Marios Savvakis, Erik O. Gabrielsson, Lothar Veith, Xianjie Liu, Xenofon Strakosas, Daniel T. Simon (2024) Functionalization of PEDOT:PSS for aptamer-based sensing of IL6 using organic electrochemical transistors npj Biosensing, Vol. 1, Article 7 (Article in journal) Continue to DOI
Ihor Sahalianov, Tobias Abrahamsson, Diana Priyadarshini, Abdelrazek H. Mousa, Katriann Arja, Jennifer Y. Gerasimov, Mathieu Linares, Daniel T. Simon, Roger Olsson, Glib Baryshnikov, Magnus Berggren, Chiara Musumeci (2024) Tuning the Emission of Bis-ethylenedioxythiophene-thiophenes upon Aggregation Journal of Physical Chemistry B (Article in journal) Continue to DOI

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