“Plasma medicine” refers to a new, interdisciplinary area of study where ionized gas (plasma) is applied on living tissue for medical purposes. The first steps in the field of biomedical applications of cold atmospheric pressure plasmas have only been taken approximately a decade ago. Yet, in this short time this field of research has rapidly grown due to astonishing results, showing that CAPs (cold atmospheric plasmas) are very efficient in destroying pathogenic bacteria, biofilms, spores, fungi or even cancer cells. First clinical studies have shown that CAP could potentially been used in the fight against infections and cancer. Plasma medicine requires a thoroughly interdisciplinary approach, from fundamental plasma physics, chemistry, biology, to medicine, to understand the mechanisms at all levels.
The A-CAPTIC project is an Alliance project between UU, UMCU and TU/e focusing on the applications of plasmas on bacteria and cancer and covering the whole interdisciplinary chain.