title: A conducting-polymer platform with biodegradable fibers for stimulation and guidance of axonal growth.
abstract: A biosynthetic platform composed of a conducting polypyrrole sheet embedded with unidirectional biodegradable polymer fibers is described (see image; scale bar = 50 µm). Such hybrid systems can promote rapid directional nerve growth for neuro-regenerative scaffolds and act as interfaces between the electronic circuitry of medical bionic devices and the nervous system.
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science Intelligent Polymer Research Institute University of Wollongong Northfields Avenue Wollongong, NSW 2522 (Australia).|Centre for Clinical Neuroscience and Neurology Research Department of Medicine, St. Vincent's Hospital 41 Victoria Pde Fitzroy, VIC 3065 (Australia).|Bionic Ear Institute 384-388 Albert St East Melbourne, VIC 3002 (Australia).
authors.forename: Anita F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Quigley
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science Intelligent Polymer Research Institute University of Wollongong Northfields Avenue Wollongong, NSW 2522 (Australia).
authors.forename: Joselito M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Razal
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science Intelligent Polymer Research Institute University of Wollongong Northfields Avenue Wollongong, NSW 2522 (Australia).
authors.forename: Brianna C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science Intelligent Polymer Research Institute University of Wollongong Northfields Avenue Wollongong, NSW 2522 (Australia).
authors.forename: Simon E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Moulton
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science Intelligent Polymer Research Institute University of Wollongong Northfields Avenue Wollongong, NSW 2522 (Australia).|Centre for Clinical Neuroscience and Neurology Research Department of Medicine, St. Vincent's Hospital 41 Victoria Pde Fitzroy, VIC 3065 (Australia).|Bionic Ear Institute 384-388 Albert St East Melbourne, VIC 3002 (Australia).
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kita
authors.affiliation: Bionic Ear Institute 384-388 Albert St East Melbourne, VIC 3002 (Australia).
authors.forename: Elizabeth L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science Intelligent Polymer Research Institute University of Wollongong Northfields Avenue Wollongong, NSW 2522 (Australia).|Bionic Ear Institute 384-388 Albert St East Melbourne, VIC 3002 (Australia).
authors.forename: Graeme M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science Intelligent Polymer Research Institute University of Wollongong Northfields Avenue Wollongong, NSW 2522 (Australia). gwallace@uow.edu.au.
authors.forename: Gordon G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science Intelligent Polymer Research Institute University of Wollongong Northfields Avenue Wollongong, NSW 2522 (Australia).|Centre for Clinical Neuroscience and Neurology Research Department of Medicine, St. Vincent's Hospital 41 Victoria Pde Fitzroy, VIC 3065 (Australia).|Bionic Ear Institute 384-388 Albert St East Melbourne, VIC 3002 (Australia).
authors.forename: Robert M I
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Kapsa
keywords: Biomedical applications; Conducting polymers; Tissue engineering