Scientists from the Warsaw Institute of Microelectronics and Photonics belonging to the Łukasiewicz Research Network use appropriately modified flake graphene for anti-cancer therapies, energy storage and batteries, composite materials, anti-corrosion paints, and even anti-acne creams.

Graphene is one of the allotropic types of carbon. It is a flat layer of individual carbon atoms arranged in hexagonal honeycomb structures. It is a very durable material, and very light and flexible at the same time. It also perfectly conducts heat and electricity. That is why graphene is indicated as an innovative material with a whole range of applications that could replace silicon in electronics in years to come. Another, the particularly promising, area is its use in biomedicine.

„One of the applications of graphene in the biomedical context is anti-cancer therapies. In this regard, together with scientists from the Warsaw University of Life Sciences, we have patented the modification of graphene flakes with the use of platinum nanoparticles, which have proven anti-cancer properties”, said Dr Eng. Adrian Chlanda, deputy head of the Graphene and Composites Research Group in Łukasiewicz – Institute of Microelectronics and Photonics.

“A properly prepared material can be used as a drug carrier that gets to the tumor, adheres to the tumor cell, allowing the platinum to penetrate it inside. Our research, which has already been published in prestigious international journals, shows that the tumor subjected to such therapy decreases, which proves the effectiveness of such therapy”, adds Dr Chlanda.

The task of graphene is to deliver a condensed dose of such molecules to the neoplastic site and allow these molecules to be absorbed by cancer cells killing them.

Adrian Andrzejewski