Medicine

Researchers from Radboud University Medical Center and Biointerface Laboratory RWTH Aachen University Hospital have used graphene to develop a new technique that allows them to image biological processes as they occur, with enough detail to see protein complexes move. They have demonstrated the method by showing, for the first time, how calcium deposits into a form that may lead to calcification of the arteries and aortic valve.

Schematic overview of the cryo-to-liquid-CLEM workflow. Image from: Advanced Functional Materials

The team explained that liquid phase electron microscopy (LP-EM) has emerged as a powerful technique for in situ observation of material formation in liquid. The use of graphene as window material provides, according to the scientists, new opportunities to image biological processes because of graphene's molecular thickness and electron scavenger capabilities. However, in most cases the process of interest is initiated when the graphene liquid cells (GLCs) are sealed, meaning that the process cannot be imaged at early timepoints. So, they developed a novel cryogenic/liquid phase correlative light/electron microscopy workflow that addresses the delay time between graphene encapsulation and the start of the imaging, while combining the advantages of fluorescence and electron microscopy.

Archer Materials has announced that successfully miniaturized its Biochip graphene field effect transistor (gFET) design, reducing its size by 97% and significantly lowering fabrication costs. The development marks a significant step in Archer’s efforts to strengthen its semiconductor capabilities and expand its role in medical diagnostics.

This advancement, achieved in collaboration with Applied Nanolayers and AOI Electronics, enhances the chip’s readiness for integration in home testing devices for chronic kidney disease. 

Zentek has announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Triera Biosciences has received a CAD$1.1 million (around USD$791,000) Government of Canada contract to test its multivalent aptamer technology for the rapid drug discovery of therapeutics or prophylactics of highly pathogenic avian influenza (“HPAI”) A(H5N1).

Triera was awarded a these funds through Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada's (“ISED”) Innovative Solutions Canada (“ISC”) program: Health Advanced And Emerging Medical Technologies. Triera’s multivalent aptamer technology was selected for its potential to be used as a rapid drug development platform.

INBRAIN Neuroelectronics, a brain-computer interface therapeutics (BCI-Tx) company developing graphene-based neural technologies, has announced the closing of a $50 million Series B financing round. The round was led by imec.xpand with new investors EIC Fund, Fond ICO Next Tech, CDTI-Innvierte and Avançsa. Existing investors Asabys Partners, Aliath Bioventures and Vsquared also participated, bringing the total amount raised since inception to $68 million.

In addition to the Series B round, INBRAIN also secured additional funding and support from Merck KGaA to advance the clinical development of its technology in Merck’s therapeutic areas of interest. This partnership will boost the translation of INBRAIN’s platform to human use, expanding its impact across both central and peripheral nervous system applications.

INBRAIN Neuroelectronics has announced the world’s first human procedure of its cortical interface in a patient undergoing brain tumor resection. INBRAIN’s BCI technology was able to differentiate between healthy and cancerous brain tissue with micrometer-scale precision.

This milestone represents an advancement in demonstrating the ability of graphene-based BCI technology beyond decoding and translating brain signals, to become a reliable tool for use in precision surgery in diseases such as cancer, and in neurotechnology more broadly. The study was sponsored by the University of Manchester, and primarily funded by the European Commission’s Graphene Flagship project. The clinical investigation study was conducted at Salford Royal Hospital.

Archer Materials has started experiments to detect and monitor chronic kidney disease on its Biochip graphene field effect transistor (“gFET”) sensors.

Archer, through one of its foundry partners, has reportedly verified a process that directly grows graphene surfaces to produce enhanced devices, rather than transferring the graphene to a device from a wafer, as previously done. The team has tested the devices by storing them in normal air conditions over a two-month period, finding no significant degradation in performance. 

Researchers from Tufts University recently developed a graphene-enhanced highly sensitive saliva-based cortisol sensor – eliminating the need for invasive blood tests.

The Point-of-Care (POC) electrochemical biosensor boasts a detection limit of 0.24 fg/mL, making it 100 times more sensitive than existing saliva tests. This innovation relies on the Gii-Sens “electrode” – a sensing strip produced by nanomaterial company, iGii – integrated into the sensor. 

Inbrain Neuroelectronics has designed a brain implant that can both read signals and stimulate brain impulses. Its brain-computer interface (BCI) uses graphene to create a high-resolution interface with the brain. Now, the Company has announced it is gearing up for its first-in-human testing, planed for this summer.

The technology is a type of brain-computer interface (BCI), which have been used for medical diagnostics, as communication devices for people who can’t speak, and to control external equipment, including robotic limbs. However, Inbrain intends to transform its BCI technology into a therapeutic tool for patients with neurological issues such as Parkinson’s disease. 

Limb neuroprostheses aim to restore motor and sensory functions in amputated or severely nerve-injured patients. These devices use neural interfaces to record and stimulate nerve action potentials, creating a bidirectional connection with the nervous system. Most neural interfaces are based on standard metal microelectrodes. 

Left: a histological section of the nerve implanted with an electrode longitudinally. Right, an image of the sciatic nerve with an EGNITE electrode implanted transversely to allow stimulation and recording of nerve impulses. Image credit: UAB

Researchers at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) and ICN2 have demonstrated in animal models how Engineered Graphene for Neural Interface (EGNITE), a derivative of graphene, allows the creation of smaller electrodes, which can interact more selectively with the nerves they stimulate, thus improving the efficacy of the prostheses. The study also demonstrated that EGNITE is biocompatible, showing that its implantation is safe.

Researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) have designed a soft robotic "hand" made from liquid crystals (LCs) and graphene, that could be used to design future surgical robots. 

One of the issues that need to be addressed before such robots can be used in operating rooms is to figure out how to precisely control and move these deformable robots. Also, many current soft robots contain metals, which means that their use in water-rich environments—like the human body—is rather limited.