Organic bioelectronics: A new era for organic electronics

Background: This issue of "Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - General Subjects" is dedicated to organic bioelectronics, an interdisciplinary field that has been growing at a fast pace. Bioelectronics creates tremendous promise, excitement, and hype. The application of organic electronic materials in bioelectronics offers many opportunities and is fuelled by some unique features of these materials, such as the ability to transport ions. Scope of review: This is a perspective on the history and current status of the field. Major conclusions: Organic bioelectronics currently encompasses many different applications, including neural interfaces, tissue engineering, drug delivery, and biosensors. The interdisciplinary nature of the field necessitates collaborations across traditional scientific boundaries. General significance: Organic bioelectronics is a young and exciting interdisciplinary field. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Organic Bioelectronics - Novel Applications in Biomedicine. © 2012 Elsevier B.V