Advances in biomedical systems based on microneedles: design, fabrication, and application

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Wearable devices are increasingly used in healthcare for continuous monitoring.
• Microneedles (MNs) provide minimally invasive access to interstitial fluid (ISF) for sensing and drug delivery.
• MN technology offers advantages over traditional transdermal methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive review of microneedle advances in biomedical systems.
• To summarize recent studies on MN applications in healthcare for researchers and clinicians.
• To identify challenges and future prospects for microneedle technology.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on microneedle applications in diagnosis and therapy.
• Analysis of microneedle classification, design considerations, and theranostic systems.
• Discussion of the regulatory landscape and future potential of MNs in wearable healthcare.

Main Results:

• Microneedles are versatile for biomarker detection in ISF and transdermal drug delivery.
• Combining MNs with sensing technologies enables theranostic systems for point-of-care diagnostics and on-demand therapy.
• Significant progress has been made in MN design, applications, and integration into wearable healthcare.

Conclusions:

• Microneedle-based innovations are crucial for advancing wearable healthcare technologies.
• MNs hold significant potential for personalized medicine, diagnostics, and therapeutics.
• Further research and development are needed to address challenges and fully realize the potential of MN applications in healthcare.