Comunicato stampa

A cancer inspires a graphene oxide-based biomimetic surface against superbacteria

29/12/2016

Bacterial graphene
Bacterial graphene

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reports that since 2009 400,000 individuals each year develop infections by multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria.

It is therefore necessary to develop novel strategies for antimicrobial coating for medical devices and surgical equipment.

The researchers, authors of the study published in Scientific Reports, have realized a biocompatible and cost-effective graphene oxide-based gel enabling an effective coating of irregular surface able to reduce bacteria cells up to 90%.

This represents a crucial result in the medical and health care field.

The employed technological approach is based in mimicking the Nature solutions, as for example the shark skin or the cancer carapace, and aimed to improve the effectiveness of such solutions by means the employment of the antimicrobial properties of graphene.

The research activity was funded by the European Research Council (ERC). It involves researchers of the Cnr Institute for the Complex systems (Isc), of the Physics and Microbiology Institute of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, of the Chemical Science of the University of L’Aquila and of the Physics Department of University of Roma La Sapienza.

The team has realized a graphene oxide-based hydrogel combining the natural antimicrobial properties of the graphene oxide and a bio-inspired multi-scale structure by a novel laser printing technique discover by the research team: the super cavitation laser. Cell integrity analysis and nucleic acids release of S.Aureus, E.Coli and C.Albicanscells, show bacteriostatic and bactericidal effect. The sharp nano-sheets of graphene oxide, exposed by laser ablation, cut the bacteria membranes and embed the cells by reducing their metabolism. The above mechanism is enhanced by the laser action that maximize the graphene oxide sheets exposure along a bio-inspired pattern that mimic the typical wrinkles of the Cancer Pagurus.

The key result in the field of the biomedical material technology is to provide a versatile and effective solution against microbial infections with a low toxicological impact. Being the antimicrobial mechanism based on a mechanical action (graphene sheets destroy the bacteria membrane) it is unaffected by the development of drug resistance bacteria.

Who: Institute for the Complex systems (Isc-Cnr), Physics and Microbiology Institute of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Chemical Science of the University of L’Aquila and Physics Department of University of Roma La Sapienza

What: Biomimetic antimicrobial cloak by graphene-oxide agar hydrogel, http://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-016-0010-7

For information: Claudio Conti, Isc-Cnr, e-mail: claudio.conti@cnr.it

Responsabile Unità Ufficio stampa:
Marco Ferrazzoli
marco.ferrazzoli@cnr.it
ufficiostampa@cnr.it
06 4993 3383