DNA and Graphene-Based Nanomaterial Applications in Stem Cell Therapeutics and Regeneration

Stem cell therapy has proved to be a transformative tool in regenerative medicine, providing new paradigms for tissue repair and organ recovery. However, the persisting challenges, including poor cell viability, inefficient differentiation capacity, and insufficient integration with host tissues, hinder its clinical translation. Additionally, the inability of traditional biomaterials to provide precise control and multifunctionality makes it difficult to overcome these challenges effectively in clinical settings. This review, therefore, focuses on advanced biomaterial platforms that can direct stem cell fate, cell behavior, differentiation, and integration with high specificity. Here, we emphasize one of the recent innovations of nanotechnology, which combines the properties of DNA and graphene, giving rise to DNA- and graphene-based nanomaterials, which have proved to be a promising solution. By combining the properties of higher programmability, biocompatibility, and targeting potential of DNA with graphene derivatives like graphene oxides, which offer exceptional electric conductivity, mechanical strength, and tunable functionality, DNA-graphene-based materials function as excellent scaffolds that provide structural and electric cues for stem cell applications. These hybrid systems have now enabled precise control over drug delivery, real-time monitoring of transplanted cells, and tissue regeneration. However, even with the promising features, certain translational barriers remain, such as cytotoxicity with longer usage, difficulties in scalable manufacturing, and the need for regulatory validation. Herein, we combine the current developments, identify the unanswered challenges, together with the future directions, like the scope of integrating AI-driven structure designing, patient-specific bioprinting of the scaffold, etc., to provide an effective tool for stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine.