2023 BIST Ignite Project: TriBioNics

Triboelectricity-powered stimulations to treat muscle tissue conditions

The TribioNics Project recieved the BIST Ignite Award in 2024.

Project overview

TriBioNics undertakes for the first time the combination of three cutting edge technologies, 3D skeletal muscle bioprinting, graphene bioelectronics, and triboelectricity, with the goal of modelling muscle tissue conditions and developing novel physiological therapies for muscle rehabilitation, among others.

Muscular injuries are an increasing concern, especially as the population ages. Muscle strength and mobility play a crucial role in maintaining quality of life and independence. However, limited access to damaged muscle regions for localized stimulation hampers effective treatment, often resulting in slow recovery and high recurrence rates.

In the seed statge of the TriBioNics project, researchers designed and tested graphene microelectrode arrays in direct contact with three-dimensional in vitro muscle models, addressing the challenges posed by the size limitations of standard electrodes. This graphene electrode-muscle interface enabled the observation of early biological changes in muscle tissue, underscoring the importance of optimizing stimulation protocols to prevent muscle exhaustion. Additionally, researchers successfully generated controlled microlesions on demand. The ability to induce precise muscle contractions using graphene technology —developed by the BIST Ignite team— opens new possibilities for enhancing and personalizing current muscular therapies.

In the Award phase of the project, the researchers aim to explore the potential of their tribo-graphene technology to clinically treat relevant muscular damages. They will assess the regeneration and strengthening of fibrotic tissue and microlesions following short, periodic stimulation sessions, comparing their approach with standard rehabilitation methods. Based on these findings, they will develop a triboelectric energy-harvesting device capable of supplying power to the system while exploring its potential for miniaturization.

These advancements will help establish the feasibility of the technology as autonomous medical devices, paving the way for future in vivo validation in the next stages of TriBioNics.

Multidisciplinarity within TriBioNics

The TriBioNics project brings together ICN2’s expertise in materials science, energy, and nanotechnology with IBEC’s expertise in tissue engineering, fostering a truly multidisciplinary approach.

For the first time, graphene technology, developed at ICN2, has been used to provide localized, non-destructive electrical stimulation to skeletal muscle tissue, engineered by IBEC. This innovation enables greater control and reproducibility in the muscle maturation process.

Additionally, triboelectricity —a rapidly emerging technology being explored at ICN2— has been proposed as a novel approach in medicine. It allows for the harvesting of mechanical energy from the human body, converting it into an electrical output to stimulate cells. The TriBioNics project explores the integration of triboelectricity and graphene electronics for tissue stimulation, unlocking exciting opportunities for the development of future closed-loop therapies.