A new generation of implantable medical devices powered by natural sugars in the body could help treat life-long conditions like neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes and heart conditions, after a UK-led research project received over £2 million in funding.

Led at the University of Bath and in collaboration with the Universities of Newcastle, Oxford, and Sheffield, the GLUTRONICS project will develop glucose-powered bioelectronics that can help patients with life-long conditions by eliminating the need for bulky battery packs that may need recharging or replacement.

Short for Glucose-fuelled ultra-low power implantable bioelectronics, GLUTRONICS addresses a critical challenge in modern healthcare: the invasiveness and limitations of current implantable devices. These rely heavily on batteries, which despite downsizing over time, still present issues. Batteries often account for over 80% of a device’s volume and weight, and require risk-carrying surgeries for replacement, maintenance and hindering long-term use and patient comfort.

The project team are creating miniature, lightweight, and long-lasting glucose fuel cells that convert sugars in bodily fluids into useful energy at the µW, or microwatt (one millionth of a watt) scale. These fuel cells will mimic the way organs extract the energy they need from sugars that are naturally present in physiological fluids and replenished with food.

By enabling unprecedented miniaturisation without compromising power performance, GLUTRONICS could dramatically advance the usage and capabilities of implantable electronic devices, such as pacemakers, electronic nerve stimulation devices and diabetes monitors. This will help improve the quality of life for millions of people worldwide living with an implantable bioelectronic device, and broaden the range of application opportunities, ultimately supporting precision therapy and effective management of chronic diseases.

Shaping the future of medicine

The project’s leader, Professor Mirella Di Lorenzo, is Associate Dean for International in the University of Bath’s Faculty of Engineering and Design and Deputy Director of the Centre for Bioengineering & Biomedical Technologies. She says: “The range of conditions that could be treated by miniature glucose-powered devices is extensive, from heart conditions to neurodegenerative diseases and diabetes.

“Our ambition for GLUTRONICS is to advance research into glucose fuel cells beyond the state-of-the-art, with a system approach that goes beyond electrode chemistry, which researchers have been primarily focusing on to date, to include electronics, device-body integration strategies, manufacturing, regulatory frameworks and solutions co-developed by patients and the public.”

Prof Patrick Degenaar, professor of Neuroprosthetics at Newcastle University’s School of Engineering and co-investigator of GLUTRONICS, adds: “A fascinating challenge will be to design a durable and manufacturable architecture that ensures we get practical power generation required by implantable devices.”

Prof Alex Rothman, professor of Cardiology at the University of Sheffield and honorary consultant cardiologists at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, says: “Medical devices provide significant benefit to patients with a range of diseases. The ability to charge in the same way the body fuels its own organs will remove the need to replace or recharge devices would create close integration with the device and overcome one of the major barriers in the area.”

Prof Tim Denison, Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in emerging technologies and professor of bioelectronics at the university of Oxford, says: “In the short term, we are keen to adapt implantable systems to fully characterise fuel cells in real-world conditions, but even more excited about how we might ultimately be able to apply this approach for chronic devices and lower the power management burden on patients and the healthcare system.”

Bioelectronics are shaping the future of medicine, enabling personalised, precise and proactive therapies. This innovation drives demand for new power systems specifically designed for medical devices, which are reliable and efficient when operating in people, are long-lasting and can meet the strict safety requirements set by regulators worldwide. GLUTRONICS seeks to address this critical need.

Funded by UK Research & Innovation through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the project has received £2.1 million in support and will run until May 2028.

The project brings together a multidisciplinary team with expertise in material science, electrocatalysis, fuel cell technology, mathematical modelling, implantable electronics and clinical translation, and includes the industrial collaborator Amber Therapeutics (Amber Therapeutics - Home).

The research will be validated through in vitro and in vivo trials. These trials will simulate powering a cardiac device with energy demands exceeding 1µW, demonstrating the clinical potential of the technology.

Press release with thanks from the University of Bath.