Gas plasma effects on living cells

This paper surveys the research activities at the Eindhoven University of Technology (The Netherlands) in the area of biomedical applications of gas discharge plasmas. A non-thermal atmospheric plasma source (the plasma needle) has been developed, and its interactions with living mammalian cells and bacteria are studied. It is concluded that plasma can efficiently kill bacteria without harming the cells, and also influence the cells without causing cell death (necrosis). In future it will lead to applications like skin (wound) and caries treatment.