Materials Horizons Emerging Investigator Series: Dr Chiara Musumeci, Linköping University, Sweden

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Abstract

Our Emerging Investigator Series features exceptional work by early-career researchers working in the field of materials science.

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Dr Chiara Musumeci (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7923-8086) received her PhD from the University of Strasbourg in 2014, where she developed expertise in supramolecular chemistry and nanoelectronics. She then joined Linköping University as a postdoctoral researcher, focusing on nanoscale structure–property relationships in organic electronic materials and self-assembled biomolecular nanostructures. In 2016, she moved to the United States for a postdoctoral position at Northwestern University, where she specialized in advanced atomic force microscopy techniques for nanoscale characterization of a wide range of systems, including living cells. In 2018, she joined the Laboratory of Organic Electronics (LOE) at Linköping University as a permanent researcher. She was awarded a Starting Grant from the Swedish Research Council in 2024 and, since 2025, has been a research leader in the Organic Bioelectronics Group. Her research focuses on the development of in situ fabricated organic electroceuticals, with particular emphasis on engineering bioelectronic interfaces at the nano- and microscale, especially at the level of single cells and cell membranes.

Read Chiara Musumeci's Emerging Investigator Series article ‘Suspension polymerization of bioelectronic interfaces on living cells’ (https://doi.org/10.1039/D5MH02264A) and read more about her in the interview below:

MH: Your recent Materials Horizons Communication engineers bioelectronic interfaces for integrating electronics with living systems through localised in situ polymerisations. How has your research evolved from your first article to this most recent article and where do you see your research going in future?

CM: In our first report on the in situ formation of conductive polymers on living cells, we relied on anchoring the monomers to the lipid bilayer to localize and promote polymerization at the cell surface. While this approach was effective, it introduced several challenges, particularly in terms of coating stability and spatial inhomogeneity. In our more recent work in Materials Horizons, we developed a novel protocol that eliminates the need for a molecular anchor, enabling the formation of more conformal and stable polymer coatings around cells. This provides a reliable and reproducible platform for studying bioelectronic interfaces at close contact with living systems, and represents an important step toward the ultimate goal of achieving electronics that can communicate efficiently with biology.

MH: What aspect of your work are you most excited about at the moment?

CM: What excites me most right now is pushing in situ polymerization toward truly controlled interfaces with living cells, and understanding how these interfaces influence cell behavior. As we move from localized polymer aggregates to uniform coatings, we can start to systematically investigate how conductive polymers affect cell electrophysiology, signalling, and growth. That opens up opportunities not only to better integrate electronics with biological systems, but also to actively modulate cellular function. There are still key questions around interface stability, biocompatibility, and long-term effects, which makes this a particularly exciting and impactful area to work in.

MH: In your opinion, what are the most important questions to be asked/answered in this field of research?

CM: We’re still at a very early stage in exploring in situ polymerized electrodes as interfaces with living systems, so some of the most important questions are quite fundamental. First, can these materials truly match or surpass traditional electrodes in terms of electrical performance while maintaining long-term biocompatibility? Second, how stable and reproducible are these interfaces over time, especially in dynamic biological environments? Beyond that, a key challenge is understanding how these materials interact with cells at a functional level, how they influence electrophysiology, signalling, and overall cell behaviour. Finally, from a systems perspective, an important question is how to move beyond reliance on external wiring, toward more integrated or wireless architectures that would make these interfaces less invasive and more practical for real applications.

MH: What do you find most challenging about your research?

CM: This research is highly interdisciplinary; it requires closely integrated collaboration between scientists from often very distinct expertise. Sometimes it is challenging to bring all these people together to speak a common language.

MH: In which upcoming conferences or events may our readers meet you?

CM: I’m looking forward to presenting this work to the materials and bioelectronics communities at the upcoming MRS conference.

MH: How do you spend your spare time?

CM: Mostly with my family. I enjoy activities together with my kids, playing, baking and reading books.

MH: Can you share one piece of career-related advice or wisdom with other early career scientists?

CM: Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone or explore topics beyond your formal training. This is often where new perspectives and meaningful breakthroughs emerge.

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