Medical Design and Outsourcing

  • Home
  • Medical Device Business
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Financial
    • Regulatory
  • Applications
    • Cardiovascular
    • Devices
    • Imaging
    • Implantables
    • Medical Equipment
    • Orthopedic
    • Surgical
  • Technologies
    • Supplies and Components Index
    • Contract Manufacturing
    • Components
    • Electronics
    • Extrusions
    • Materials
    • Motion Control
    • Prototyping
    • Pumps
    • Tubing
  • MedTech Resources
    • Medtech Events in 2025
    • The 2024 Medtech Big 100
    • Medical Device Handbook
    • MedTech 100 Index
    • Subscribe to Print Magazine
    • DeviceTalks
    • Digital Editions
    • eBooks
    • Educational Assets
    • Manufacturer Search
    • Podcasts
    • Print Subscription
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • Whitepapers
    • Voices
    • Views
    • Video
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
  • Women in Medtech
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

The 2020 Vision: Graphene’s Impact on Heart Health and Other Diseases

October 28, 2014 By Victoria Tsai, Graphene Frontiers

There’s a better way to monitor and track heart health.

Medical practitioners have vocalized it, scientists understand this, and together many forward-thinking people are working to improve early detection of heart and other diseases.

Where is the technology going and how do we get there? That’s what the team at Graphene Frontiers is working to develop with biosensors based on Graphene Field Effect Transistors (GFETs).

Founded in 2010 out of the University of Pennsylvania Physics department, the advanced materials and nanotechnology company is focused on the development of graphene-based sensors for medical diagnostics applications.

Graphene is a new nanomaterial and the subject of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010. It is the first two-dimensional (2-D) material consisting of a single atomic layer of carbon arranged in a hexagonal lattice and has been called the “Miracle Material of the 21st Century” for its amazing properties, including unprecedented conductivity and strength.

The healthcare industry patiently waits for super sensitive point of care instruments in every physician’s office. The unique properties of graphene enable ultra-sensitive molecule detection at very low concentrations. Dubbed “Six” sensors, the Graphene Frontiers’ exclusive sensor technology utilizes GFETs functionalized with receptor molecules (e.g. antibodies) specific to the biomarker target. The graphene device electrical properties change dramatically upon receptor-target binding events following introduction of analyte. A drop of blood on the graphene-based Six sensor platform could provide a near instantaneous, comprehensive and quantitative biomarker reading with high sensitivity, thus enabling early disease diagnosis.

With widespread adaptation, this approach could drive down healthcare costs as well as increase the rate of disease diagnoses and improve treatments. For heart-related problems, where early intervention is crucial to effective disease management and treatment, this biosensor technology could be a major game-changer.

Punctuated by the work of Graphene Frontiers and other companies, and a ringing endorsement of the medical community, ultra-sensitive point of care diagnostic sensors could become a reality instead of a vision in the very near future.

 

Related Articles Read More >

An illustration of Embolization Inc.'s Nitinol Enhanced Device (NED).
This nitinol vascular embolization device has another shape memory material up its sleeve
July 2025 edition: The Surgical Robotics issue, featuring Capstan Medical, J&J and Zimmer Biomet
This Baylor marketing image shows Dr. Kenneth Liao at Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center using the same Intuitve da Vinci surgical robot that he used to perform the first successful, fully robotic heart transplant in the U.S.
Intuitive system used in first robotic heart transplant in US
A photo of Capstan Medical's mitral valve implant, which uses nitinol.
Capstan Medical’s R&D head discusses the heart valve and robotics startup’s tech, engineering challenges and solutions, advice for others in medtech and how to join his team
“mdo
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest medical device business news, application and technology trends.

DeviceTalks Weekly

See More >

MDO Digital Edition

Digital Edition

Subscribe to Medical Design & Outsourcing. Bookmark, share and interact with the leading medical design engineering magazine today.

MEDTECH 100 INDEX

Medtech 100 logo
Market Summary > Current Price
The MedTech 100 is a financial index calculated using the BIG100 companies covered in Medical Design and Outsourcing.
DeviceTalks

DeviceTalks is a conversation among medical technology leaders. It's events, podcasts, webinars and one-on-one exchanges of ideas & insights.

DeviceTalks

New MedTech Resource

Medical Tubing

MassDevice

Mass Device

The Medical Device Business Journal. MassDevice is the leading medical device news business journal telling the stories of the devices that save lives.

Visit Website
MDO ad
Medical Design and Outsourcing
  • MassDevice
  • DeviceTalks
  • MedTech100 Index
  • Medical Tubing + Extrusion
  • Medical Design Sourcing
  • Drug Delivery Business News
  • Drug Discovery & Development
  • Pharmaceutical Processing World
  • R&D World
  • About Us/Contact
  • Advertise With Us
  • Subscribe to Print Magazine
  • Subscribe to our E-Newsletter
  • Listen to our Weekly Podcasts
  • Join our DeviceTalks Tuesdays Discussion

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media LLC. Site Map | Privacy Policy | RSS

Search Medical Design & Outsourcing

  • Home
  • Medical Device Business
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Financial
    • Regulatory
  • Applications
    • Cardiovascular
    • Devices
    • Imaging
    • Implantables
    • Medical Equipment
    • Orthopedic
    • Surgical
  • Technologies
    • Supplies and Components Index
    • Contract Manufacturing
    • Components
    • Electronics
    • Extrusions
    • Materials
    • Motion Control
    • Prototyping
    • Pumps
    • Tubing
  • MedTech Resources
    • Medtech Events in 2025
    • The 2024 Medtech Big 100
    • Medical Device Handbook
    • MedTech 100 Index
    • Subscribe to Print Magazine
    • DeviceTalks
    • Digital Editions
    • eBooks
    • Educational Assets
    • Manufacturer Search
    • Podcasts
    • Print Subscription
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • Whitepapers
    • Voices
    • Views
    • Video
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
  • Women in Medtech
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe