SPAIN – The Graphene Flagship, a research investigation which brings together 150 scientists from a dozen European countries, looked at biomedical technologies using graphene to make medical implants anywhere in the human body.

As explained by the professor of the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2) Jose Antonio Garrido at a press conference, this new avenue of research is focused on the use of 2D materials (so fine to be considered as 3D) as graphene to generate more functional and versatile implants can be applied in the fields of neurology, ophthalmology or brain surgery.

The advantage of using graphene is that it is a very flexible material, may cover more area, more responsive to receipt of information and is also more stable than, for example, silicon, Garrido reported.

 “The idea is to create implants with new materials,” said Garrido, who also explained that the research will be deployed in three areas.

The first is focused on engineering materials: to produce graphene-based materials.

The second, technology and engineering implants: developed materials will be used to create retinal, cortical and brain implants.

And third, centered in the area of ​​functionality and therapeutic efficacy: seeking implants enable interaction with the nervous system to modulate and record various activities, and also has therapeutic functionality thanks to electrical stimulation and even biological stimulation.

Researchers have stated that this development may be beneficial to blindness, severe depression, Parkinson’s or diabetes, among other ailments.

Since 2013, the Graphene Flagship had some financial funds of 1,000 million Euros from the European Union and which includes 14 other graphene-related initiatives.

Source: ICN2

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