Bioelectronics

Abstract The new discipline of bioelectronics intersects the fields of biology, materials sciences, and electronics. We define bioelectronics as the interfacing of naturally occurring or synthetic biological materials with inorganic electronic materials, components or systems. Interfacing of biomaterials and electronics has led to the development of devices that can transduce chemical signals generated by biological components into electronically readable signals or usable power. Conversely, bioelectronic components may be designed to substitute for a biological function or process, the electronic components of which are intended to facilitate the control or monitoring of that biological process. This review article first presents an overview of the three thematic elements that form the foundation of the discipline of bioelectronics, namely, biological electron transfer, the biological/electronic interface and supramolecular organization. This is followed by descriptions of the major devices and applications in the categories of biosensors, power systems and living‐cell interfacing.