Magnetoelectrics for biomedical applications: 130 years later, bridging materials, energy, and life

Magnetoelectric (ME) materials have emerged as promising candidates for a wide range of biomedical applications due to their unique ability to couple and manipulate both magnetic and electric signals. This comprehensive review provides an overview of the recent advancements and potential applications of MEs materials in various areas of biomedicine. Inspired by Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein," the introduction (Section 1) highlights the ethical considerations of scientific exploration while showcasing the potential benefits of ME materials in the background of human well-being and longevity. Then, the context, key materials and fundamental concepts are addressed, with a special focus on piezoelectric biological tissues that can be sensorized/actuated through ME materials (Section 2). Applications related to energy supply to the body (Section 3), sensing the body (Section 4), and other biomedical applications (Section 5) such as tissue engineering, cancer therapy, drug delivery, and antimicrobial are presented, discussed, and technologically outlined in the following sections of the work. In the end, a subjective joint opinion is given about the advantages, limitations, opportunities, and future research directions in this 130-year-old research field. Can MEs come out as the technological bridge between materials engineering, energy, and human life?