The UK achieved a major medical milestone with surgeons performing the world’s first human graphene-based brain-computer interface (BCI) procedure.
With micrometre-scale accuracy, this implant technology can precisely differentiate between healthy and cancerous brain tissue during surgery.
The technology was developed by INBRAIN Neuroelectronics, a BCI therapeutics company leading advancements in graphene-based neural interfaces.
This inaugural procedure demonstrates graphene’s potential not only for decoding brain signals but also as a tool for precision surgery in cancer and broader neurotechnological applications.
The project was spearheaded by the University of Manchester and primarily funded by the European Commission’s Graphene Flagship initiative.
The procedure took place at Salford Royal Hospital.
Led by Dr David Coope, a neurosurgeon at Salford Royal and the Geoffrey Jefferson Brain Research Centre, it is part of an ongoing study into the safety and efficacy of graphene in neurosurgery.
Dr Coope said: ‘Graphene enables ultra-high density sensing and stimulation, crucial for precision resections while preserving critical functions like movement, language, or cognition.’
Carolina Aguilar, CEO of INBRAIN, called the achievement transformative.
‘This milestone opens a new era for BCI technology, showcasing its potential as a therapeutic intervention.’
Graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms, is uniquely strong, thin and conductive, making it ideal for neural technology.
The study involves 8-10 patients and aims to validate graphene’s safety and superiority over traditional materials in brain-function decoding during both awake and asleep states.
Highlighting the decade-long effort behind the achievement, Professor Kostas Kostarelos, co-founder of INBRAIN, said: ‘This integration of graphene and AI with advanced semiconductor technology has pioneered minimally invasive BCI therapeutics for personalised neurological treatment.’
Notably, Nobel Laureate Sir Kostya Novoselov, who first isolated graphene in 2004, described the breakthrough in realising graphene’s transformative potential in medicine.
‘This innovation can now begin to deliver its profound societal impact,’ he said.
The study utilises INBRAIN’s Intelligent Network Decoding & Modulation (BCI-Tx) Platform, which has received FDA Breakthrough Device Designation for Parkinson’s disease.
The platform combines graphene’s properties with adaptive neuroelectronic therapy for real-time biomarker decoding and precise neuromodulation at micrometre precision.
Carolina Aguilar added: ‘By integrating BCI decoding with high-precision neuromodulation, we aim to restore function, alleviate symptoms, and deliver continuous, personalised treatments with minimal side effects.’
