Speaker:

Prof. Renke Li, the University of Hong Kong.

Tittle: Conductive Biomaterials: Novel Therapy for Cardiac Arrhythmia

Time: 10:00 June 2nd, 2026 (Tuesday)

Venue: Conference Room 6, Building No.5

Host: Prof. Xing-Jie Liang

Abstract:

Following myocardial infarction (MI), necrotic cardiomyocytes (CMs) are replaced by fibroblasts and collagen tissue, causing abnormal electrical signal propagation, desynchronizing cardiac contraction, resulting in cardiac arrhythmia. We have created a conductive polymer, poly-3-amino-4-methoxybenzoic acid (PAMB), which is synthesized and grafted onto non-conductive gelatin. The PAMB-G copolymer is self-doped in physiological pH environments, making it an electrically active material in biological tissues. The conductive biomaterial, PAMB-G, not only provide an optimal matrix for CM adhesion and growth but also maintain CM morphology and functional proteins. The conductivity of PAMB-G is significantly higher than that of gelatin. Microelectrode array analyses reveal that a heart placed on the PAMB-G hydrogel has a higher field potential amplitude than that placed on the gelatin hydrogel and can pass current from one heart to excite another heart at a distance. The injection of PAMB-G hydrogel into the scar zone following an MI in a rat heart improves electrical impulse propagation over that in a heart that has been treated with gelatin hydrogel, and synchronizes heart contraction, leading to preservation of the ventricular function and reduction of cardiac arrhythmia, demonstrating its potential for use in treating MI.