Nanozymes have progressed from simple enzyme mimics to a versatile class of artificial catalysts that expand functionality beyond the reach of natural enzymes. Their unique compositional and structural properties confer exceptional versatility in catalysis, enabling catalytic function in non-biological environments, the promotion of non-natural reactions, and the integration of multiple catalytic activities within a single nanostructure. By exploiting nanoscale control over physicochemical parameters, and/or emulating enzyme architectures, nanozymes can achieve finely tunable activity and selectivity. Their ability to undergo facile surface functionalization and provide electrical connectivity further enhances their performance in complex systems. Collectively, these attributes extend catalysis beyond the constraints of natural enzymes, driving innovations in an array of different fields including biomedicine, agriculture, environmental remediation, and energy conversion. Looking forward, rationally designed nanozymes have the potential to redefine the field of catalysis, evolving from biomimetic surrogates into transformative materials that rival, and ultimately surpass, the capabilities of natural enzymes.
Historic and ongoing efforts in ecology and environmental science have highlighted the pressing need to monitor the health, sustainability and productivity of global and local ecosystems. Interest in these areas reflects a need both to determine the suitability of environments to support human activity (settlement, agriculture and industry) and to evaluate the impacts of such anthropogenic action. Of interest are chemical, biological and physical factors that reduce ecosystem viability owing to human intervention. Evaluating these factors and their impact on global health, ecological stability and resource availability demands improvements to existing environmental sensing technologies. Current methods to quantify chemical pollutants, biological factors and deleterious physical conditions affecting target ecosystems suffer from lack of automation and narrow spatiotemporal range. Recent advances in materials science, chemistry, electronics and robotics offer solutions to this problem. A vision emerges for fully autonomous, networked and ecoresorbable sensing systems that can be deployed over large aerial, terrestrial and aquatic environments. This Review describes ongoing efforts in these areas, focusing on materials advances supporting the accurate quantification of environmental factors with apparatus that accommodates full or partial device resorption. Discussion begins with an overview of hazards affecting global ecosystems, followed by a description of existing detection methods to quantify their severity. We proceed with an exploration of existing and developing technologies affecting sensor dispersion, motility, communication and power. Finally, we describe exciting recent efforts in the development of environmentally degradable materials that could prove beneficial in the realization of massively distributed (millions of individual sensors) transient sensor networks. Accurate, spatiotemporally resolved monitoring of environments and ecosystems serves as the starting point to both identify and remedy natural or anthropogenic environmental hazards. This Review covers materials science advances supporting a new paradigm in environmental sensing: distributed networks of sensing elements capable of system-level profiling with the possibility of harmless environmental resorption after a predetermined recording period.
Spatiotemporal resolution is a cornerstone of bioelectronics, enabling precise observation and control of biological events at the molecular, cellular and tissue levels. In this Review, we analyse recent advancements in spatiotemporal resolution essential for applications such as neuroprosthetics, cardiac monitoring and biosensing, with a focus on devices utilizing electrical, electrochemical and optoelectronic signal transduction. We define the intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of spatial and temporal resolution and highlight high-performance materials and device architectures — including electrodes, transistors and optoelectronic interfaces — that drive these capabilities. Strategies such as device miniaturization, 3D fabrication and multifunctional integration are evaluated for their capacity to improve resolution, particularly within the complex microenvironments of biological tissues. However, challenges persist, including signal interference, device stability and the demand for reliable long-term operation. Overcoming these obstacles requires continuous innovation in materials science, device engineering and computational approaches. Enhanced spatiotemporal resolution holds promise for advancing diagnostic precision, therapeutic responsiveness and our understanding of dynamic biological systems across biomedical disciplines. High spatiotemporal resolution is essential for next-generation bioelectronics, enabling precise biological monitoring and control. This Review highlights recent advances in electrical, electrochemical and optoelectronic devices, discussing key materials, architectures and strategies to enhance resolution and address critical biomedical challenges.
The engineering of therapeutic living cells through genetic programming is poised to transform medicine. Diverse living medicines, including mammalian cells, fungi, bacteria and viruses, are under development. However, for these medicines to progress in the clinic, new strategies are needed to successfully deliver them into the body. Unlike conventional small-molecule and protein-based biologics, living medicines present distinct challenges for delivery, including the need to maintain viability, control replication, manage metabolism and mitigate immunogenicity. This Review focuses on delivery strategies for living medicines, identifying key challenges and efforts to overcome them. We survey clinically adopted biomaterial strategies for delivering conventional drugs and explore how these approaches can be tailored for living medicines. Finally, we discuss remaining challenges and future directions towards next-generation living medicine delivery. As the field of engineered therapeutic living cells advances, new strategies to deliver them into the body are needed. This Review identifies current challenges in living medicine delivery and discusses how biomaterial strategies could be leveraged to overcome these clinical barriers.
Tissue-like bioelectronics have emerged as practical, user-friendly and unobtrusive systems for seamless bidirectional integration with the human body. Two-dimensional materials, being led by the prototypical graphene, uniquely fit the task of creating ultrathin and functional interfaces with biological matter. In this Perspective, we comprehensively discuss 2D materials and their electrical, optical, environmental and mechanical properties relevant to bioelectronics. We present examples of 2D material-based bioelectronic devices for tissue interfacing (skintronics) and organ interfacing (organtronics). Importantly, we provide a roadmap for the future development of the field and highlight associated challenges yet to be solved.
