What we do

Plasma is known as the fourth state of matter, next to solid, liquid, or gaseous. When adding energy to a gas, the electrons separate from the nucleus and move around freely. Plasma is thus a (partially) ionized gas, which shows, as an electroconductive gas, a variety of interesting attributes. 99% of all matter in the visible universe is in the state of plasma, which can, amongst others, be found in the sun or stars.

Next to this very hot plasma, a cold, low-pressure plasma can also be generated artificially. This kind of plasma is used in plasma medicine.

The general aim of plasma medicine is to introduce physical plasma into clinical practice. Plasma medicine can be subdivided into three main fields: plasma-assisted modification of bio-relevant surfaces, plasma-based bio-decontamination/sterilization, and direct therapeutic plasma application. Surface modification and decontamination are more or less indirect medical plasma applications where plasma technology is used to process material or devices for subsequent medical applications.

The aim of therapeutic plasma application as the central field of plasma medicine is to bring physical plasmas directly on or into the human (or animal) body. In order to treat living tissue, the plasma source must be artificially generated at room temperature and pressure. Central to all medical applications are the antimicrobial as well as surface-altering effects of plasma. These characteristics make it very attractive for different medical purposes, such as wound healing, dentistry, dermatology, or implant medicine.

Due to its novelty and its interdisciplinarity, it is crucial to comprehend the biological effects and support, as well as accompany the transfer of atmospheric pressure plasma sources to medical-experimental research and further clinical trials. The successful interplay of medicine, biology, and physics requires reciprocal understanding to be able to realize the full potential of medical plasma applications.

Plasma medicine is a fascinating, promising field, and the first signs of its vast economic potential are already visible.