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Gastrointestinal motility disorders affect over 20% of the population, yet current therapies provide limited relief. Here, the authors show that in a swine model a closed-loop GI neuroprosthesis restores peristalsis and enhances metabolic responses via targeted electrical and chemical stimulation

Flexible and fatigue-resistant optical fibers made from hydrogel allow optogenetic manipulations in the periphery in freely behaving mice.

In some materials electrons can behave hydrodynamically, exhibiting phenomena associated with classical viscous fluids. In this theory work, the authors show that the symmetries of the crystal lattices in which the electrons reside can lead to additional unique hydrodynamic effects.

To mark the 15th anniversary of Nature Methods, we asked scientists from across diverse fields of basic biology research for their views on the most exciting and essential methodological challenges that their communities are poised to tackle in the near future.

Two recent studies report the development of miniaturized, fully-implantable devices that enable wireless optogenetic neuromodulation in peripheral nerves and spinal cord.

Deep-brain stimulation ameliorates parkinsonian symptoms, but it usually requires permanent implantation of hardware and connectors. Here, the authors show magnetothermal neuromodulation through the activation of TRPV1 can improve locomotor deficits in mouse models of Parkinson’s disease.

Anikeeva and colleagues review the state of the art in technologies that enable discoveries of brain function and the development of novel therapeutic approaches.

A study reveals a gut–brain sensory pathway through which the microbial component flagellin activates neuropod cells in the colon to signal the brain and reduce feeding in mice.

In this study, the authors present magnetoelectric nanodiscs that enable minimally invasive, remote magnetic neuromodulation with subsecond precision to drive reward and motor behaviours in genetically intact mice.

Neural probes for experimental studies can cause tissue damage. Here the authors describe a probe incorporated with a hydrogel structure for adaptive bending stiffness to enable insertion to the rodent brain while minimising tissue damage.

Iron sulfide nanoclusters enable on-demand and local generation of nitric oxide, an important lipophilic messenger in the brain, allowing the modulation and investigation of nitric oxide-triggered neural signalling events.

Crosstalk between the brain and gut is modulated and recorded with microelectronics fibers.

Highly flexible fibers enable simultaneous electrical neural recording, optical stimulation and drug delivery in freely moving mice.

Design principles for the development of silicon biointerfaces enable the non-genetic, light-controlled modulation of intracellular Ca²⁺ dynamics, and of cellular excitability in vitro, in tissue slices and in mouse brains.

Here, advanced scanning transmission electron microscopy techniques are used to image the atomic structure at the interface between 2D MoS₂ and 3D Au nanoislands, revealing a moiré superlattice and illustrating the potential for (opto-)electronic moiré engineering at the 2D/3D interface.

Buchanan, Rupprecht, Kaelberer and colleagues show that the preference for sugar over sweetener in mice depends on gut neuropod cells. Akin to other sensor cells, neuropod cells swiftly communicate the precise identity of stimuli to drive food choices.

The brain continuously receives, integrates and responds to an influx of sensory signals emerging from the internal organs; this crosstalk is difficult to interrogate causally. In this Review, we discuss developments in multifunctional implantable neurotechnologies aimed at establishing robust bioelectronic interfaces between the brain and the peripheral organs suitable for long-term studies of brain–body signalling.

Magnetic manipulation of biological systems requires the development of improved molecular handles. Here the authors isolate ferritin mutants with enhanced biomineralization from a yeast genetic screen and show their application to cell separation, multiscale imaging, and construction of sensors.

Controlled delivery of neuromodulators in the brain might improve the understanding of the molecular basis of behaviour. In this letter, magnetic liposomes injected in deep brain regions release small molecules under remote magnetic stimulation, activating specific neuronal circuits in freely moving mice.

The authors describe the design of an optetrode, a device that allows for colocalized multi-tetrode electrophysiological recording and optical stimulation in freely moving mice.

Realizing the vision of a new class of medicines based on modulating the electrical signalling patterns of the peripheral nervous system needs a firm research foundation. Here, an interdisciplinary community puts forward a research roadmap for the next 5 years.

The authors use fiber-based fabrication to create flexible biocompatible probes with integrated optical, electrical and microfluidic capabilities. Functionality is demonstrated by characterizing the temporal dynamics of opsin expression following viral delivery, long-term tracking of individual neuron action potentials and modulation of neural circuits in the context of mouse behavior.

Magnetic nanomaterials can be used to transduce magnetic fields into biologically relevant signals. This Primer describes different magnetic transduction mechanisms, the design of nanotransducers and example applications for studying cell signalling and neuroscience.

When interactions between electrons in a material are strong, they can start to behave hydrodynamically. Spatially resolved imaging of current flow in a three-dimensional material suggests that electron–electron interactions are mediated by phonons.

Understanding the dynamics and architecture of the nervous system requires tools for recording and modulating the activity of billions of neurons. This Review explores the history of neural engineering and the materials innovation at the interface between neural tissue and synthetic sensors.