The Materials Research Centre (MRC) is proud to announce its participation in BioMIX, a newly funded Horizon Europe MSCA Staff Exchanges project coordinated by the University of Latvia. The four-year international project brings together 13 academic and industrial partners from Europe and beyond to develop an innovative MXene-based approach to one of the major challenges in oncology: triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).
TNBC is an aggressive form of breast cancer associated with a high risk of recurrence and the development of resistance to chemotherapy. Limited treatment options for resistant disease create an urgent need for new therapeutic strategies.
BioMIX aims to address these challenges through the development of a biomimetic MXene-based nanoplatform based on Ti₃C₂ MXene nanosheets. The proposed platform is designed to combine several therapeutic mechanisms in a single system, including targeted doxorubicin delivery, suppression of the MDR1/P-glycoprotein drug-resistance pathway, and ultrasound-triggered sonodynamic therapy.
By simultaneously targeting chemotherapy resistance and tumor treatment, the project seeks to establish a more effective and multifunctional therapeutic approach for TNBC.
As a partner in the consortium, MRC will contribute its expertise in MXene materials and their development for advanced biomedical applications. Participation in BioMIX provides an opportunity to work alongside leading researchers and technology partners from across Europe and beyond, strengthening the connection between advanced materials research, nanomedicine, and translational healthcare technologies.
The BioMIX consortium includes partners from Latvia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Türkiye, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Portugal, the United Arab Emirates, and New Zealand, bringing together complementary expertise in nanomaterials, cancer research, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, sensors, and biomedical technologies.
For MRC, participation in BioMIX is also an important example of the role that international scientific cooperation can play in advancing research under challenging circumstances. We are particularly proud to contribute to a consortium that connects Ukrainian research expertise with a broad international scientific network.
We congratulate the entire BioMIX consortium on the successful launch of the project and look forward to contributing to the development of MXene-based nanomedicine and new therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment.
The BioMIX project marks the beginning of a four-year collaborative research journey aimed at turning the unique properties of MXenes into innovative solutions for precision oncology.
The seminar, titled “MXenes for Space and High-Tech Applications: From Scalable Synthesis to Smart Structures, Sensors, and Advanced Bio-Composites,” brought together researchers interested in the development and application of advanced nanomaterials. The presentation covered recent progress in MXene technology, with a particular focus on scalable synthesis and the integration of MXenes into smart structures, sensors, advanced electronics, multifunctional composites, and space technologies.
The study, “Green-Synthesized MXenes Enable Low-Friction, Cytocompatible PVA-Chitosan Hydrogels,” explores the incorporation of HF-free, green-synthesized Ti₃C₂Tₓ MXenes into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-chitosan hydrogels. The research demonstrates that this combination can produce highly hydrated, mechanically enhanced, cytocompatible materials with significantly improved tribological properties.
Our collaborative work on porous Ti₃AlC₂ MAX phase for efficient Ti₃C₂Tₓ MXene synthesis has been ranked among the Top 10 most cited papers in the International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology (IJACT).
We highly recommend checking out new important paper: “Critical Assessment of Intrinsic Antibacterial Properties and Photothermal Therapy Potential of MXene Nanosheets.” Along with the key findings, we’re also excited to share the Supplementary Cover Art — it beautifully illustrates our vision of MXene-based targeted complexes that can eliminate bacteria via photothermal conversion under near-infrared irradiation.
Do MXene nanosheets possess intrinsic antibacterial activity? A systematic study of high-quality Ti-, V-, and Nb-based MXenes reveals negligible inherent antimicrobial effects while highlighting their strong potential for targeted photothermal antibacterial therapy.
Highlights
We are excited to share that our Carbon-Ukraine (Y-Carbon LLC) company participated in the I2DM Summit and Expo 2025 at Khalifa University in Abu-Dhabi! Huge thanks to Research & Innovation Center for Graphene and 2D Materials (RIC2D) for hosting such a high-level event.It was an incredible opportunity to meet brilliant researchers and innovators working on the next generation of 2D materials. The insights and energy from the summit will definitely drive new ideas in our own development.
Carbon-Ukraine team had the unique opportunity to visit XPANCEO - a Dubai-based deep tech startup company that is developing the first smart contact lenses with AR vision and health monitoring features, working on truly cutting-edge developments.
Our Carbon-Ukraine team (Y-Carbon LLC) are thrilled to start a new RIC2D project MX-Innovation in collaboration with Drexel University Yury Gogotsi and Khalifa University! Amazing lab tours to project collaborators from Khalifa University, great discussions, strong networking, and a wonderful platform for future collaboration.
MXenes potential applications include sensors, wound healing materials, and drug delivery systems. A recent study explored how different synthesis methods affect the safety and performance of MXenes. By comparing etching conditions and intercalation strategies, researchers discovered that fine-tuning the surface chemistry of MXenes plays a crucial role in improving biocompatibility. These results provide practical guidelines for developing safer MXenes and bring the field one step closer to real biomedical applications.
An excellent review highlighting how MXene-based sensors can help tackle one of today’s pressing environmental challenges — heavy metal contamination. Excited to see such impactful work moving the field of environmental monitoring and sensor technology forward!
Carbon-Ukraine team was truly delighted to take part in the kickoff meeting of the ATHENA Project (Advanced Digital Engineering Methods to Design MXene-based Nanocomposites for Electro-Magnetic Interference Shielding in Space), supported by NATO through the Science for Peace and Security Programme.