Introductory Bioelectronics: For Engineers and Physical Scientists

Book Preface

There is no doubt that the continued convergence of engineering, science and medicine in the 21st century will drive new treatments, devices, drugs, diagnostics and therapies for healthcare. Worldwide there is a desperate need for effective and economical medical interventions to care for an ageing population that is growing in number and to help lessen the burden on healthcare systems of the frightening rise in chronic diseases and conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The rise in chronic illness is to a great extent being driven by lifestyle changes and as countries become more prosperous and industrialised they see the burden of chronic illness rise. The numbers of people affected are notable. For example, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 346 million people worldwide have diabetes and that diabetes related deaths are set to double between 2005 and 2030. Type II Diabetes is growing because of sedentary lifestyles and obesity. It does not simply bring problems with blood sugar but complications of uncontrolled glucose levels can lead to cardiovascular disease, eyesight problems, renal problems and wound care problems, creating a complex and growing patient load for healthcare providers. Cardiovascular disease is even more prevalent and claimed the lives of 17.6 million in 2008 and the WHO estimates that this will rise to 26.3 million by 2030.

Thus governments and healthcare providers know that changes must be made to reduce chronic disease where possible, and to deliver care effectively and economically to those who are affected by it.

Medical technology and medical devices have a crucial part to play in helping society care for these populations and interventions based on technology and devices are already widespread and growing. The portable glucose meters which diabetics can use to check their blood sugar levels at any time were developed from biosensor technology and have now become a reliable fixture of diabetes treatment. Current research in the field has produced sub- dermal sensors for glucose that can be left in place for up to a week and the future will bring transdermal sensors that will use, or modify, the permeability of the skin to extract glucose for analysis. As another example, there is interest in the use of stem cells to grow new tissue or to repair damaged tissue and many of these types of intervention will require tissue scaffolds to guide and nourish the stem cells, thus materials scientists, engineers and life scientists are exchanging information in multidisciplinary research projects for tissue repair.