Engineering Responsive Bio-Interfaces for Precision Health Technologies by Paula Mendes

Inspired by nature’s responsive mechanisms and empowered by our growing ability to manipulate matter at the molecular and nanoscale, we are entering a new era in the design of functional bio-interfaces. These materials are no longer passive supports for biological applications but can be engineered to respond dynamically to chemical, electrical, and mechanical stimuli with high spatial and temporal precision. 

Paula Mendes will present a range of strategies that harness external stimuli, such as pH, electric fields, and nanoscale vibrations, to modulate molecular and cellular interactions at surfaces. These include synthetic glycan-binding interfaces with tunable affinity, electroactive platforms for reversible protein and bacterial adhesion, and mechanically responsive surfaces that inhibit bacterial colonization through vibrational input. Such systems exemplify how responsive materials can be designed to direct biological function with precision and adaptability.

By advancing the functional complexity of bio-interfaces, from static to stimuli-responsive systems, we open new opportunities in precision diagnostics, tissue regeneration, and real-time bioprocess monitoring. 

Mendes will conclude with a perspective on future directions in bio-interface engineering, and how we need to continue enhancing the functional complexity at the bio-interface to fully address the current challenges in biotechnology and biomedicine.