Intelligent Polymer Research Institute

　　AIIM Facility, Innovation Campus, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia 

　　E-mail: gwallace@uow.edu.au 

　　The use of organic conductors to provide a more effective communications channel between the world of biology and electronics has attracted considerable attention recently 

　　The fact that electrical stimulation of such conductors provides a conduit for direct electrical communication with living cells as well as enabling controlled release of bioactive molecules has enabled effective communication with nerve cells http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl8xAo2aROw * Nanotopographical cues have been used on such platforms to provide directional growth. 

　　Nanostructured organic conducting polymer platforms have also been used to provide directional growth to muscle cells and a highly effective platform for electrical stimulation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpYVn8MVK2k * 

　　There is a need therefore to continue to evolve innovative fabrication protocols that enable fabrication of organic conducting polymers with spatial control in the nanodomain. 

　　Here we will review and compare a number of options in this regard. These include electrospinning, dip pen nanolithography and laser patterning. The use of each of these to produce structures for use in bionics has been explored. 

　　Applications: Working with clinical collaborators at St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne we have identified some area of application. 

　　► Conduits for nerve and muscle regeneration, and, 

　　► Devices for implantation into the brain for epilepsy, detection and control 

　　Here we will review our progress in each of these areas. 

　　Key Recent Publications 

　　(1) Wallace, G.G., Moulton, S.E., Higgins, M.J., Kapsa, R.M.I. “Organic Bionics” Wiley-VCH Verlag & Co. KGaA, Boschstr. 12, 69469 Weinheim, Germany 2012. 

　　(2) Moulton, S.E., Higgins, M., Kapsa, R.M.I., Wallace, G.G. “Organic Bionics: A New Dimension in Neural Communications” Advanced Functional Materials 2012, 22, 2003-2014. 

　　(3) Yue, Z., Moulton, S.E., Cook, M., O’Leary, S., Wallace, G.G. “Controlled Delivery for Neuro-Bionic Devices”Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews (Accepted) 

　　(4) Wallace, G.G., Higgins, M.J., Moulton S.E., Wang, C. “Nanobionics: The Impact of Nanotechnology on Implantable Medical Bionic Devices” Nanoscale 2012, 4, 4327-4347.

　　Professor Gordon Wallace [FAA, FTSE, FIOP, FRACI]  ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science  

　　Intelligent Polymer Research Institute 

　　University of Wollongong 

　　Northfields Avenue Wollongong NSW 2522 

　　Ph: +61 2 4221 3127 

　　Fax: +61 2 4221 3114 

　　Professor Gordon Wallace is currently the Executive Research Director at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science http://youtu.be/O7Ejasd6qgA and Director of the Intelligent Polymer Research Institute. He previously held an ARC Federation Fellowship and currently holds an ARC Laureate Fellowship.   

　　Professor Wallace’s research interests include organic conductors, nanomaterials and electrochemical probe methods of analysis, and the use of these in the development of Intelligent Polymer Systems. A current focus involves the use of these tools and materials in developing bio-communications from the molecular to skeletal domains in order to improve human performance via medical Bionics. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDa3QuEIYXw  

　　With more than 700 refereed publications, Professor Wallace has attracted some 16,000 citations and has a h-index of 57.   

　　He has supervised 75 PhD students to completion at the Intelligent Polymer Research Institute and currently co-supervisors 30 PhD students. 

　　Professor Wallace is an elected Fellow at the Australian Academy of Science, the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, the Institute of Physics (UK) and the Royal Australian Chemical Institute.  

　　In addition to being named NSW Scientist of the Year in the chemistry category in 2008, Professor Wallace was also appointed to the Korean World Class University System, and received the Royal Australian Chemical Institute HG Smith Prize. 

　　In 2004, Professor Wallace received the Royal Australian Chemical Institute Stokes Medal for research in Electrochemistry, after being awarded an ETS Walton Fellowship by Science Foundation Ireland in 2003. The Royal Australian Chemical Institute awarded Professor Wallace the Inaugural Polymer Science and Technology Award in 1992.