Title: Temporally adaptive bioelectronics

Abstract: 

Meeting the needs of time-varying diseases and disorders requires the next generation of bioelectronics to be adaptable over time. Bioresorbable electronics are uniquely positioned to provide compatible and dynamic interfaces to living tissues, enabling diagnosis and treatment within clinically relevant timeframes, followed by safe and controlled degradation as a part of the natural metabolic process.

In this talk, I will demonstrate how my research advances the field of bioresorbable electronics to make it from academic curiosity to practical applications. Specifically, I will discuss:

The first bioresorbable micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) that allow for highly-integrated bioresorbable microchips, An innovative high-speed and high-throughput manufacturing technology that makes bioresorbable electronics more widely accessible to society, A versatile multi-functional bioresorbable material that facilitates seamless integration between bioelectronic systems and biological tissues, Comprehensive solutions that address the demands of complex medical applications, such as the development of the first bioresorbable nerve cooling interfaces that offer an alternative to opioids for alleviating nerve pain.

I will conclude the talk by sharing my vision and plans for synergistic bio-integrated strategies toward fundamental and translational medicine.

Biosketch: Quansan Yang is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, where he works in the labs of Prof. Edward S. Boyden and Prof. Peter T.C. So. He received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Northwestern University in 2021, working with Prof. John A. Rogers, where he advanced the field of bioelectronics by leveraging his expertise in the principles and methodologies of mechanical engineering. Previously, he obtained his B.S. degree in Engineering Mechanics from Tsinghua University in 2016 while researching solid-liquid interfaces. Dr. Yang actively collaborates with companies, including Fujikura and Edwards Lifesciences, to emphasize the societal impacts of his research. His contributions have been widely recognized, and he has been selected for Forbes 30 Under 30 in Science in 2023.