Yuxin LIU

The human neural system is fundamentally flexible and dynamic, yet existing neuroelectronic devices are not able to intelligently adapt to such a complex biological microenvironment. To overcome this challenge, Yuxin Liu developed the first implanted electronic device with Young’s modulus comparable to nervous tissues and addressed the problem of foreign body reaction and implant rejection.

To accommodate dynamically moving organs, Liu further developed a soft and elastic neurotransmitter sensors array, with which he achieved a seamless tracking of multiple neurochemical messengers along the brain-gut axis for the first time. In collaboration with doctors and clinicians, the neurochemical sensors have been demonstrated in large animals, showing their potential to serve as diagnostic devices for depression and Parkinson’s sufferers, as well as for new treatments through gastrointestinal intervention.

To make neural interfaces “grow” with developing brains and nerves, he designed a new type of implanted device: morphing bioelectronics, that can self-change its morphology in a way similar to living tissues in the body and can automatically react to the growth of cells and organisms. Morphing electronics technology make implantable devices safe for pediatric patients.