ETH Zurich Scientists Create Magnetic Microrobots That Swim Through Blood Vessels to Deliver Life-Saving Drugs.
Researchers at the Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) have unveiled a groundbreaking medical technology: tiny magnetic microrobots, less than 2 millimeters wide, capable of navigating through blood vessels to deliver drugs directly to diseased tissues.
The innovation offers a potential solution to one of medicine’s biggest challenges, targeting treatments precisely without affecting the entire body.
The research, published in Science and reported by Swissinfo, confirms that the microrobots were successfully tested in realistic vessel models and in large animals including pigs and a sheep. Human trials have not yet begun, but scientists say the early results show enormous promise.
💡 The Real Benefits of These Microrobots
Many conditions like stroke, tumors, and vascular blockages require high drug doses because medicine spreads throughout the entire body. This increases side effects and reduces treatment efficiency.
ETH Zurich’s microrobot aims to solve this by delivering medication directly to the affected site.
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🔬 How the Technology Works
1. Microrobot Design
- Made from a biocompatible gel capsule
- Infused with magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles
- Shaped like a tiny sphere, under 2 mm, small enough to move through brain and body vessels
- Contains embedded medication, released only at the target area
2. Precision Magnetic Navigation
According to the researchers, the robot can move:
- in any direction, even against blood flow
- at speeds up to 4 mm per second
- using three magnetic navigation strategies combined
It’s incredible how much blood is pumped through our vessels and at what speed,
said Fabian Landers, the study’s main author.
Our navigation system has to be able to withstand all of this. (ETH Zurich press release)
3. Targeted Drug Release
Once the robot reaches its destination:
- it is heated externally using a high-frequency magnetic field
- the heat dissolves the gel capsule
- the medication is released directly into the blockage or tumor
4. Visibility Inside the Body
To help doctors track its movement, the microrobot also contains tantalum nanoparticles, commonly used in medical imaging.
🧪 Current Testing and What’s Next
ETH Zurich reports the microrobots have been tested in:
- silicone blood vessel models
- live pigs
- a live sheep
Results show the robot can be guided safely and accurately. The next step will be refining safety protocols before moving to human clinical trials.
🚀 How This Technology Could Transform Medicine
If approved for human use, microrobots could transform treatment for:
- Ischemic stroke (clot-targeted drug delivery)
- Brain and body tumors
- Vascular diseases
- Hard-to-reach internal infections
Instead of flooding the entire body with medication, doctors could deliver precise treatments with far fewer side effects.
🧠 Main Takeaways You Should Know
- Microrobots are under 2mm and fully magnetically controllable
- Navigate through vessels, even against blood flow
- Deliver drugs exactly at the target site
- Capsule dissolves when heated using a magnetic field
- Successfully tested in animals; human trials expected next
- Could revolutionize stroke and cancer treatment
The success of tests in large animals suggests this technology could pave the way for a new generation of minimally invasive treatments for strokes, tumors, and other critical conditions.
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