Short review on the use of graphene as a biomaterial –prospects, and challenges in Brazil

Graphene and its derivatives have emerged in recent years as promising materials for use in regenerative medicine. It has been reported that graphene can mitigate inflammatory responses in the human body, which enhances the biological behavior of the biomaterial containing it. Moreover, the high chemical stability and large specific surface area of graphene favor the absorption, binding, and delivery of antibodies, drugs, enzymes, and other molecules. This work brings a short review on the use of graphene as a biomaterial, focusing on its processing, structure, properties, and applications. Besides, the potential use of this material in the biomedical field is addressed here, devoting significant attention to the Brazilian potential to develop and produce novel graphene-based composites for regenerative medicine. As discussed here, Brazil has universities and research centers of excellence with expertise and know-how in the preparation of graphitic materials, which is a result of more than two decades of investments. Regenerative medicine is a research field of strategic importance for Brazil, which is a consequence of the accelerated aging experienced by the Brazilian population in the last decades. Despite the efforts directed in recent years toward the development and use of graphene and its derivatives in the biomedical field, important obstacles must be addressed. Here we discuss these issues and initiatives taken in an attempt to overcome them.