The Sydlik group at Carnegie Mellon is developing novel strategies to improve human health through the platform materials of polymers and functional graphenic materials. Functional graphenic materials (FGMs) are prepared through chemical modification of graphene oxide, an allotrope of carbon with abundant carbon-oxygen functionality. The Sydlik group has found FGMs to be bio- and environmentally compatible and have applied these materials in conjunction with polymers to address a number of applications for human health. We have designed FGMs to include signaling peptides and inducerions to be cell instructive for tissue regeneration, with 3D printed scaffolds showing promise as bone regeneration scaffolds. We have designed FGMs and polymers to serve as effective scaffold materials to remove heavy metals, including lead, from the body, water, and food. Finally, we are designing self-assembling peptides to adsorb drugs to treat non-opioid overdose. The FGMs and polymers rationally designed by the Sydlik group have shown promise to improve the landscape of human health.