Applications of Graphene to Cell Biology

Abstract

Graphene is a novel carbon-based 2D material, with a number of exciting properties. In this work, I investigate its potential uses in cell biology. I first look into graphene as a substrate for epithelial, mammalian cells. When coated with fibronectin, cell motility on graphene is not significantly different from the baseline substrate. However, when graphene is transferred to glass, and left uncoated, cells show a dramatic preference for glass, probably due to the hydrophobic nature of graphene. I then built a simple graphene-based cell sensor. Continuously measuring electronic parameters, a large shift in Dirac peak is observed when live cells are added onto the device, most likely caused by charged proteins produced by cells. Furthermore, I show that that the device response depends on the number of live cells in the dish, making it possible to use this device as a simple cell counter.