Virtual Seminar with Philipp Gutruf: “Wearable and Implantable Systems for Seamless High-Fidelity Diagnostics and Therapeutics”

Advances in materials and fabrication concepts for soft electronics coupled with miniaturization of wireless energy transfer enables the creation of high-performance electronic and optoelectronic systems with footprint and physical properties matched to biology. This talk explores the creation of such systems and discusses applications in the context of imperceptible body-worn devices for the assessment of physiology. We will explore a new class of devices that overcomes the limitations of current approaches by utilizing context aware mechanical and electromagnetic design facilitated through behavioral data to create unique personalized devices optimized to the wearer. We introduce new bio symbiotic wearables that enable indefinite device lifetimes to capture high fidelity biomarkers 24/7 over weeks continuously. The talk will also explore highly miniaturized implants featuring advanced capabilities in energy harvesting and photonics to enable deployment as multifunctional organ interfaces with sensing and modulation capabilities in a broad range of freely behaving subjects. The talk will also explore seamless implantable interfaces to the musculoskeletal system and discuss pathways on how these device classes can be united with wearable bio symbiotic electronics to provide 24/7 high fidelity readout of bone health.

Philipp Gutruf is an associate professor and the associate department head in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and a Craig M. Berge Faculty Fellow at the University of Arizona. He received his postdoctoral training in the John A. Rogers Research Group at Northwestern University and received his PhD in 2016 at RMIT University (Australia). In the last 5 years, he has authored over 40 peer-reviewed journal articles, received four patents and his work has been highlighted on eight journal covers. He has also been the recipient of prestigious scholarships and fellowships such as the International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (IPRS) and the Australian Nano Technology Network Travel Fellowship. His research group focuses on creating devices that intimately integrate with biological systems by combining innovations in soft materials, photonics and electronics to create systems with broad impact on health diagnostics, therapeutics and exploratory neuroscience.