Patents and innovation front-and-centre at Graphene for Healthcare digital event

​The latest Graphene Flagship event, Graphene for Healthcare, was hosted on 26 November 2020 on the Graphene Hub, our new hotspot for online events. We had a healthy turnout of over 240 delegates, with exciting talks from Nigel Clarke from the European Patent Office and Carolina Aguilar, CEO of our spin-off company INBRAIN Neuroelectronics.

But it was more than just a standard webinar – thanks to the interactive features of our Graphene Hub, the attendees had the opportunity to network and share ideas, just like at an in-person conference.

Clarke kicked off the day presenting the first results of their statistical analysis of patents on graphene-based biosensors and implants. He had previously collaborated with the Graphene Flagship to analyse patents on graphene-enriched composites, which was presented at Graphene Week 2019 in Helsinki. "Patent analysis provides a snapshot of the state of development in a particular area, which is useful in emerging technologies to give you an indication of what's going to happen in the future," explained Clarke.

Delving into the sea of patent applications, Clarke and his colleagues noticed a promising evolution for both graphene-based sensors and implants, with a steady growth of patent filing from a variety of inventors: big companies, such as Philips, but also smaller, newer players, such as universities and spin-offs. In the future, the EPO team will produce a report to dig deeper into the data to monitor where inventions originate from, where they are protected, and where people cooperate to produce patents. This will help them to further understand the factors that influence research and networking around the world.

Following this, Aguilar took to the stage to speak about graphene's applications in neurotechnology. She described how her team are motivated by the fact that 25% of patients with brain disorders do not respond to drug treatment. Because of this, Aguilar is developing a new solution that is minimally invasive and can provide higher resolutions than the current neuroelectronic therapies.

Graphene is superior to metals and other advanced materials in terms of its possibilities for miniaturisation, stability and signal-to-noise ratio, and INBRAIN strive to take advantage of these properties to create a personalised solution that is both biocompatible and stable. "If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together. Partners are key, and the Graphene Flagship is a wonderful example of a partner that takes a 360-degree approach to the commercialisation of graphene," said Aguilar.

Live polls, Q&A sessions and a "speed dating" platform kept the audience lively and engaged, with plenty of opportunities to meet other delegates and exchange digital business cards using the Graphene Hub's networking features.

The Graphene Flagship looks forward to continuing to develop its reputation for providing valuable online events in the realm of graphene. Stay tuned to learn more about our next events in the coming year.