title: Liquid-crystal materials find a new order in biomedical applications.
abstract: With the maturation of the information display field, liquid-crystal materials research is undergoing a modern-day renaissance. Devices and configurations based on liquid-crystal materials are being developed for spectroscopy, imaging and microscopy, leading to new techniques for optically probing biological systems. Biosensors fabricated with liquid-crystal materials can allow label-free observations of biological phenomena. Liquid-crystal polymers are starting to be used in biomimicking colour-producing structures, lenses and muscle-like actuators. New areas of application in the realms of biology and medicine are stimulating innovation in basic and applied research into these materials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
authors.forename: Scott J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Woltman
authors.forename: Gregory D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Jay
authors.forename: Gregory P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Crawford
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D032701:Biomimetics / Q000639:trends*; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000639:trends*; D003626:Data Display; D050866:Liquid Crystals / Q000737:chemistry*; D008853:Microscopy / Q000639:trends*; D055095:Optics and Photonics / Q000295:instrumentation*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials