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Researchers at the Universities of Michigan and Oxford have developed microbots with the ability to precisely deliver drugs to targeted sites within the body.
In a joint study, researchers from the two universities confirmed that the robots are characterized by multiple movement capabilities such as: Crawling, walking, and swinging, which enables them to move efficiently inside the body, noting that they are designed in the form of bilateral particles, one side of which is made of hydrogel material capable of carrying drugs or cells, and the other side contains magnetic particles that allow precise control of their movement using an external magnetic field.
They noted that the robots were tested in models that simulate clinical uses, such as delivering a therapeutic dye to a 3D-printed knee joint, and the results showed high accuracy and the speed of the robots in reaching the target, with the possibility of retrieving them after successfully completing their mission, pointing out that the results of the study pave the way for medical applications beyond drug delivery, as the experiments showed the ability of micro robots to navigate accurately, disassemble and reassemble as needed, enabling the design of flexible robotic systems that adapt to complex body environments.
They also explained that these robots could be used in the future for diagnosis, by collecting samples from specific locations within the body, or carrying sensors to detect biomarkers, and employing them in tissue repair by delivering stem cells or growth factors to damaged areas.
They also explained that these robots could be used in the future for diagnosis, by collecting samples from specific locations inside the body, or carrying sensors to detect biomarkers, and employing them in tissue repair by delivering stem cells or growth factors to damaged areas.
In a related context, Dr. Molly Stevens, associate researcher in the study at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Oxford, explained that the study constitutes a quantum leap in the field of drug delivery to specific sites inside the body, by developing micro-robots capable of accurately navigating complex biological environments, such as the intestines, and delivering drugs to their target sites with high efficiency and fewer side effects.
She pointed out that this technology may transform the field of personalized medicine by improving treatment outcomes for chronic diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, and localized infections, by accurately delivering multiple drugs to different locations within the body, and could contribute to reducing overall drug exposure rates, reducing side effects, allowing the use of lower doses, and reducing the need for surgical interventions or long hospital stays, which is reflected in lower health costs.