antibiotic resistance

KAIST Research Reveals How Graphene Oxide Selectively Targets Harmful Bacteria

Researchers at KAIST in South Korea have discovered how graphene oxide selectively attacks harmful bacteria while leaving human cells largely unaffected. The material binds to phosphatidylglycerol (POPG), a lipid found in bacterial membranes but not in human cells, causing bacterial membranes to destabilise and break apart. This mechanism helps explain the antibacterial effect of graphene-based products, including toothbrushes that have already sold over 10 million units, though researchers caution that real-world effectiveness varies and most evidence comes from laboratory and animal studies rather than human clinical trials.