Advanced Materials for Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysis to Support Cell-Based Therapeutics In Vivo

In native tissues, cells are typically within ~100 µm of a blood capillary, which ensures adequate oxygen supply. For transplanted cells or tissues, new blood vessel formation or supplemental oxygenation is essential to prevent hypoxia. Various strategies have been explored to enhance oxygen delivery. Active methods, such as controlled gaseous oxygen delivery, provide regulated oxygen release to transplanted cells like pancreatic islets. Passive approaches, including engineered platforms to increase oxygen exchange or the use of metal peroxides, enable gradual, self-regulated oxygen release. However, these methods face limitations in controlling oxygen release, maintaining a consistent oxygen supply, and supporting high cell densities, highlighting a need for more efficient oxygenation strategies.
Electrocatalytic water electrolysis presents a promising method for delivering oxygen to cells. It can enable precise, on-demand oxygen generation, but its in vivo application has been limited due to unsuitable materials for neutral pH, bulky electronics, and limited power efficiency. In this talk, I will present our materials and platform strategies to support cells using the electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction. We demonstrate that exogenous oxygen-generating devices can be seamlessly integrated with bioelectronics, enabling high cell loadings in a miniaturized form factor. Our platforms can be broadly applied for cell therapies aimed at managing either acute or chronic diseases.