Title : Graphene, butterfly structures, and stem cells: A revolution in surgical implants
Abstract:
Technological advancements have accelerated rapidly, as evidenced by everyday innovations like mobile phones. However, healthcare diagnostics, treatments, and surgical procedures have seen minimal progress over the last 50 years. Despite optimistic reports in the media and academia regarding breakthrough medical technologies, the reality is that many innovations have been confined to preclinical tests, often limited to rodents, and have not transitioned effectively to human application. This is primarily due to the complexity of medical devices developed in academic settings, the challenges in moving these devices to clinical practice, and the limited transferability of results from rodent models to humans.
It is therefore essential to revisit the foundational approach to medical device design, ensuring that they are commercially viable, reliable, sensitive, reproducible, non-toxic, and biocompatible. The use of smart nanomaterials has seen remarkable advances over the past decade, opening new frontiers in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. One of the most groundbreaking discoveries was made in 2010 when two scientists in the UK isolated a single layer of carbon atoms—graphene—using simple scotch tape. Since then, graphene has captured the scientific imagination due to its extraordinary properties. It is approximately 200 times stronger than steel, highly elastic, and an excellent conductor. Its carbon atoms are arranged in hexagonal lattices, forming a honeycomb-like structure.
Functionalized graphene oxide (FGO) combined with polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS), a material inspired by the structure of butterfly wings, exhibits nontoxic, antibacterial properties. FGO has been utilized in various biomedical applications such as drug and gene delivery, biosensor development, and nanocomposite materials for organ regeneration.
In this presentation, I will discuss the application of FGO-POSS in the development of medical sensors, drug, gene, and stem cell delivery systems, as well as human organ fabrication using stem cell technologies. These materials can be shaped into human organs using 3D printing and other fabrication techniques. Scaffolds derived from these nanocomposites are functionalized with bioactive molecules to facilitate tissue regeneration. Data from ongoing research will be presented, showcasing the significant potential of FGO-POSS for the repair and replacement of human organs, offering new hope for advancements in gene therapy, drug delivery, and tissue engineering.
