Cutting-Edge Bioelectronic Device Offers Drug-Free Approach to Managing Bacterial Infections

Antibiotic-resistant infections pose an increasing threat to patient safety and healthcare systems worldwide. Recent estimates indicate that drug-resistant infections may rise by 70% by 2050, highlighting the urgent need for innovative strategies to combat these infections to protect public health and ensure effective infection control in a world where microbial resistance is on the rise. Staphylococcus epidermidis is a common bacterium known for causing hospital-acquired infections and contributing to the problem of antibiotic resistance. In an exciting breakthrough in the battle against bacterial infections, researchers have created an advanced bioelectronic device that harnesses the natural electrical activity of specific skin bacteria, potentially leading to a drug-free method of infection management.

This groundbreaking study, published in Device, was conducted by researchers from the University of Chicago (Chicago, IL, USA) and the University of California San Diego (San Diego, CA, USA), and demonstrates how programmable electrical stimulation can effectively mitigate the harmful effects of Staphylococcus epidermidis. The device consists of a flexible electroceutical patch that emits gentle electrical signals to bacteria at specific skin pH levels, inducing temporary behavioral changes and inhibiting biofilm formation—clusters of bacteria that can result in serious infections. The device specifically triggers bacterial responses in acidic environments, akin to those found on healthy skin. This electrical stimulation significantly decreases the expression of harmful genes in bacteria and limits their growth without the need for antibiotics. This technology enables targeted treatment, minimizing the side effects often linked to conventional antibiotic therapies.

mage: The electroceutical epidermal patch is designed to inhibit bacterial growth (Photo courtesy of Saehyun Kim/University of Chicago)

In preclinical trials, the electroceutical patch showed impressive results, achieving nearly a tenfold reduction in bacterial colonization on pig skin. This research represents a notable advancement in bioelectronic medicine, and researchers are hopeful that this device could soon be utilized in clinical environments, especially for patients with chronic wounds or those with medical implants. By leveraging the natural properties of bacteria, scientists can develop more effective and personalized treatment options for individuals facing opportunistic infections. Healthcare professionals are encouraged to consider the implications of this research for infection control and to keep abreast of future developments in bioelectronic therapies.

“We discovered action potentials in bacterial biofilms almost ten years ago and since then we have worked to show that bacteria, which are typically not thought of as excitable, are indeed excitable and even perform functions similar to neurons in the brain,” said Gürol Süel, a professor in the UC San Diego School of Biological Sciences. "Our collaboration integrated our biological insights with the incredible technical and scientific expertise of the Tian group. Together we show that an important opportunistic pathogen is ‘selectively excitable,’ and the Tian group developed a wearable device that can treat biofilm infections on the skin through electroceutical therapy, without the need for any antibiotics.”