Graphene Biosensor (IMAGE) University of Pennsylvania Caption Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania have led an effort to create an artificial chemical sensor based on one of the human body's most important receptors, one that is critical in the action of painkillers and anesthetics. In these devices, the receptors' activation produces an electrical response rather than a biochemical one, allowing that response to be read out by a computer. In this illustration of the researchers' devices, ribbons of graphene (silver) are mounted on circuitry (gold), which can read out a response when the attached receptor proteins (purple) bind to a target molecule. Credit University of Pennsylvania Usage Restrictions None License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.