The Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, together with IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliera Metropolitana – Policlinico San Martino Hospital, has demonstrated that graphene oxide—used for the first time in the ophthalmic field—enhances the liquid artificial retina, increasing light sensitivity and recovery of visual function in advanced stages of retinitis pigmentosa
A research team from the Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Genoa, led by Prof. Fabio Benfenati and Dr. Elisabetta Colombo, in collaboration with IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliera Metropolitana – Policlinico San Martino Hospital, has shown that incorporating graphene oxide into photoactive polymer nanoparticles (previously developed at IIT for a liquid artificial retina prototype) improves their ability to convert ambient light into electrical signals. This advancement also enables the restoration of complex visual functions in preclinical models of advanced retinitis pigmentosa. This is the first time graphene has been tested in the ophthalmic field.
The study, published in Nature Communications in September 2025, represents a decisive step forward toward a new-generation liquid artificial retina that is more sensitive to low light, biocompatible, and adaptable to different stages of the disease.
The multidisciplinary team includes other Italian scientific partners such as IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliera Metropolitana – Policlinico San Martino Hospital in Genoa and IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital in Negrar (Verona). The research was funded by the European Graphene Flagship initiative, within studies on graphene for biomedical applications, and by a targeted research grant from the Italian Ministry of Health.
The liquid artificial retina, introduced by the IIT group in 2020 (Nature Nanotechnology 2020) and subsequently refined (Nature Communications 2022), is based on photoactive polymer nanoparticles capable of converting light into electrical impulses that can reactivate internal retinal circuits spared by the disease.
In this new study, researchers Filippo Galluzzi, Simona Francia, and Sara Cupini—the first authors of the work—enhanced the nanoparticle structure with a graphene oxide core, a two-dimensional form of carbon known for its high electrical conductivity and charge transfer capability. The inclusion of this material made the system more efficient in capturing and converting photons, improving the coupling between light and retinal neurons. These promising results were also confirmed in porcine models of retinal degeneration, which have a visual system similar to that of humans, further bringing this approach closer to clinical translation.
“Our research shows that adding graphene oxide to photoactive copolymer nanoparticles significantly increases the efficiency of the phototransduction process and the density of photogenerated current, improving electrical coupling with residual retinal neuronal circuits. This modification gives the injectable prosthetic device greater sensitivity to low light, making it functionally closer to the natural retina,” explains Elisabetta Colombo, researcher at the Italian Institute of Technology and coordinator of the study.
“Validating the effectiveness and biocompatibility of the prosthesis in porcine models, which have retinal morphology and organization comparable to humans, represents a highly relevant translational result,” adds Simona Francia, researcher at IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliera Metropolitana – Policlinico San Martino and the Italian Institute of Technology.
“These results strengthen the prospect of a photovoltaic and biocompatible liquid retina, deliverable through a simple subretinal injection and capable of restoring visual function even in advanced stages of retinal degeneration,” concludes Fabio Benfenati, Director of the Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology at IIT. “The work confirms the robustness and scalability of the optoelectronic paradigm based on organic materials, paving the way for future clinical developments aimed at restoring vision in patients with severe retinal dystrophies.”
The development and standardization of the liquid artificial retina prototype continue in collaboration with Novavido s.r.l., the startup founded in 2021 as an IIT spin-off, which is working to transfer the technology toward initial clinical trials in patients with retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration.
Link to the publication: “Graphene oxide increases the phototransduction efficiency of copolymeric nanoimplants and rescues visual functions in rat and pig models of Retinitis pigmentosa” https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-63716-4
