Magnet-Powered Microrobot Aims for Targeted Drug Delivery
- tech360.tv
- 5 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Scientists have developed a microrobot that can deliver medicine precisely where it is needed, using magnets. This new technology, from ETH Zurich, a Swiss university, could enable doctors to dissolve blockages causing strokes, treat infections with antibiotics, and deliver anti-cancer medication directly to tumours, without side effects elsewhere in the body.
Doctors may use the robot to dissolve blockages causing strokes, treat infections with antibiotics, and deliver anti-cancer medication directly to tumours. This targeted approach aims to avoid side effects elsewhere in the body.
The robot consists of a tiny spherical capsule made of a dissolvable gel and iron oxide nanoparticles. These nanoparticles make the capsule magnetic, allowing scientists to track it using X-ray technology.
"Because the vessels in the human brain are so small, there is a limit to how big the capsule can be," said Dr Fabian Landers, a postdoctoral researcher at the Multi-Scale Robotics Lab at ETH Zurich. Landers also noted the technical challenge in ensuring such a small capsule possesses sufficient magnetic properties.
Navigating the microrobot through the intricate maze of blood vessels presents another significant challenge. Scientists must account for twists, junctions, and the fast-flowing blood within the body.
Landers remarked on the remarkable speed and volume of blood flow. To overcome this, the team developed three methods to drive the microrobot using electromagnets, adapting to varying magnetic forces.
These methods allow the scientists to roll the robot against a vessel wall, pull it against the current, or guide it through a junction. The microrobot can move at speeds up to 4 mm per second.
Prof Bradley Nelson, a microrobot researcher at ETH Zurich, discussed the suitability of magnetic fields for minimally invasive procedures. Nelson stated, "Magnetic fields and gradients are ideal for minimally invasive procedures because they penetrate deep into the body and – at least at the strengths and frequencies we use – have no detrimental effects on the body."
Upon reaching its target, a high-frequency magnetic field heats the microrobot. This process dissolves its shell, releasing the medication precisely where intended.
The invention underwent testing using silicone models that replicated human and animal blood vessels. It was also tested in several pigs, and within the brain of a sheep.
The scientists' next objective is to initiate human clinical trials. They aim for this technology to be available in hospital operating theatres in the near future.
Microrobots, developed by ETH Zurich, can deliver medicine precisely using magnets.
Potential applications include treating strokes, infections, and cancers by targeting specific areas.
The spherical capsules are made from a dissolvable gel and magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, tracked by X-rays.
Source: BBC SCIENCE FOCUS