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Environmentally Adaptive Shape-Morphing Microrobots for Localized Cancer Cell Treatment
Chen Xin1, Dongdong Jin2, Yanlei Hu1
1Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Key Laboratory of Precision Scientific Instrumentation of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
Shape-morphing microrobots adapt to environments for complex cargo tasks. These magnetic microrobots can grip, transport, and release microparticles or drugs, demonstrating potential for targeted delivery and cell treatment.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Robotics
Background:
- Microrobots are crucial for microobject manipulation and targeted drug delivery.
- Advanced microrobots require shape-morphing capabilities for dynamic biological environments.
- Complex cargo manipulation, such as encapsulation and release, necessitates adaptive microrobot designs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop environmentally adaptive shape-morphing microrobots (SMMRs) for advanced micro-/nanocargo manipulation.
- To integrate magnetic propulsion with pH-responsive hydrogels for controlled shape changes.
- To demonstrate the potential of SMMRs in targeted drug delivery and localized cell treatment.
Main Methods:
- Programmatically encoding different expansion rates in pH-responsive hydrogels to create SMMRs.
- Combining hydrogel-based shape-morphing with magnetic propulsion for controlled movement.
- Designing and testing shape-morphing microcrabs (SMMCs) for microparticle delivery and shape-morphing microfish (SMMFs) for drug encapsulation/release.
Main Results:
- Developed SMMRs capable of gripping, transporting, and releasing microparticles via a claw mechanism (SMMC).
- Demonstrated drug (doxorubicin) encapsulation and release using SMMFs in response to pH changes (PBS vs. acidic solution).
- Achieved localized HeLa cell treatment in an artificial vascular network using SMMF mouth actuation.
Conclusions:
- Magnetic SMMRs offer a versatile platform for complex microcargo operations and on-demand drug release.
- Shape-morphing capabilities enhance microrobot functionality in dynamic biological settings.
- Further optimization of SMMRs in size, motion control, and imaging will expand their biomedical applications.
