Explore how nanobots are revolutionising medical healthcare by enhancing precision in targeted oncology treatments, targeted drug deliveries, and surgeries.
Nanotechnology is an ever-evolving field, and one of the technologies at the forefront of promising possibilities in the medical field and engineering is nanorobots, or nanobots. These anatomic particles measure up to just 1 nanometre in scale and are poised to revolutionise medical treatment, from diagnostics to surgery.
Transformative Potential of Nanobots in Healthcare
Besides medical treatment, these nanobots have already shown practical applications, such as in microscopy to facilitate observations at the atomic level and in chemistry to enable the precise manipulation of molecules to catalyse reactions that were previously difficult to achieve. With current advancements in magnetic, electric, chemical, and light-propelled nanobots and DNA-based self-replicating nanobots, what might once seem like science fiction may quickly become feasible, potentially transforming medical practice in the near future.
Nanobots for Targeted Drug Delivery
Nanobots offer a precise, targeted mechanism for diagnosing and treating illnesses and diseases, particularly cancer. These nanobots can utilise various propulsion systems powered by internal reactions with substances like hydrogen peroxide or external forces like light and magnetic fields. This capability is vital for directing therapeutic agents directly to the affected areas, minimising side effects and improving treatment outcomes.
4D Nanobots: Emerging Frontiers in Drug Delivery
Recently, apart from internally and externally propelled nanobots, 4D printed micro/nanorobots have been developed and show promising approaches in targeted drug delivery. Advancements include utilising materials such as Polylactic Acid (PLA) and Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU). PLA offers a biodegradable framework allowing controlled, sustained release of medications, while TPU provides the flexibility needed for navigating complex bio-environments. Together, these materials enhance the nanorobots’ ability to deliver drugs efficiently and reduce potential side effects. They also incorporate multiple functionalities, improving the precision and adaptability of treatment modalities.
Breakthroughs in Cancer Treatment
Significant research has been dedicated to leveraging nanobots in oncology. A study from India introduced self-propelling, targeted magneto-nanobots that navigate through biological fluids for deep tumour penetration. These are equipped with magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes loaded with doxorubicin, enabling them to deliver drugs responsively based on the tumour’s acidic environment. This method enhances drug targeting and reduces adverse effects, marking a substantial advancement in cancer therapy.
In another ground-breaking study published this year, radiolabelled silica-based urease-powered nanobots were tested on a mouse model of bladder cancer. Bladder cancer treatment typically suffers from low therapeutic efficacy; however, this study demonstrated that intravesical administration of these nanobots reduced tumour size by nearly 90%. This significant finding suggests that nanobots are a promising delivery system for bladder cancer therapy.
Expanding the Role of Nanobots in Surgery
Robotic surgical platforms like the da Vinci system have revolutionised minimally invasive surgery, allowing translation of the surgeon’s hand movements into smaller, precise movements of tiny instruments within the patient’s body. Despite their widespread use, these systems still face significant technical challenges in retinal and foetal surgeries. The development of smaller, miniaturised robots is crucial to enable access to virtually any area of the body and permit interventions at the cellular level, providing highly localised treatments.
Nanobots could radically change cellular-level surgeries. The application of nanobots is expanding into various surgical disciplines:
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Blood-related
Nanobots are being designed and developed as artificial blood components, such as simulating red blood cells in oxygen exchange, phagocytes to modulate immunity, and platelets to allow clotting if damage to the endothelium cells of blood vessels is detected.
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Orthopaedic
Use cases in orthopaedic surgery are being explored for their potential to enhance arthroplasty, aid in chondrogenesis, and improve tissue regeneration and wound healing.
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Cardiac
Nanobots could actively target faulty cardiac valves and arterial plaque and improve treatments for aneurysms and bleeding. In heart surgery, nanorobots are being developed to deliver medications that loosen artery-clogging materials and then drill out those blockages so they can be eliminated from the body. These nanorobots are magnetically charged molecules. Additionally, with at least 40% of heart transplant survivors having at least one rejection case during the first year after the transplant surgery and symptoms of this rejection not appearing for a long time, research is being done to design nanobots that help in detecting and controlling the presence of infection or heart rejection.
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Vascular
Nanobots propelled by bacterial flagella are being developed to target diseased vascular tissue with high specificity and enhance medication efficacy through nano-delivery systems. This includes using carbon nanotubes and quantum dots for drug delivery and cell tracking.
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Ophthalmic
Intravitreal drug injections play an important role in the treatment of various ophthalmological diseases. Guided wirelessly by an external magnetic field, nanobots have demonstrated the capability of traversing the eye to reach the retina within 30 minutes, reducing delivery time significantly. Nanobots could also potentially assist in aiding nerve cell regeneration and implant placements.
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Biopsy
Magnetic flexible nanobots are being developed as wireless biopsy tools for capturing individual cells or collecting tissue samples from healthy or diseased organs with a high degree of specificity and selectivity for further disease diagnosis.
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Brain
The recent development of Mag-Neurobots in South Korea, which are magnetically guided to transport live neurons directly to damaged brain areas, represents a novel approach to treating neurological conditions. These nanobots have the potential to establish functional connections with brain cells, offering new possibilities for the treatment of nerve damage and brain diseases.
Nanobots in Healthcare: Revolutionising Treatment Across Disciplines
As nanotechnology continues to evolve, nanobots are spearheading a revolution in healthcare. Its integration into clinical settings is anticipated to transform medical treatment by enhancing ultra-precision, minimising invasiveness, and improving therapeutic outcomes. Studies have highlighted their potential efficacy in significantly shrinking tumours, particularly in cancer treatment. Beyond oncology and in the near future, these versatile tools can reshape surgical practices across disciplines from orthopaedics to cardiac and ophthalmic surgeries. This evolving field marks a fundamental shift in the approach to healthcare, treating conditions at their most basic level with ground-breaking technology.
References
- Das, T., & Sultana, S. (2024). Multifaceted applications of micro/nanorobots in pharmaceutical drug delivery systems: A comprehensive review. Future Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43094-023-00577-y
- Andhari, S. S., Wavhale, R. D., Dhobale, K. D., et al. (2020). Self-Propelling Targeted Magneto-Nanobots for Deep Tumor Penetration and pH-Responsive Intracellular Drug Delivery. Scientific Reports, 10, 4703. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-61586-y
- Simó, C., Serra-Casablancas, M., Hortelao, A. C., et al. (2024). Urease-powered nanobots for radionuclide bladder cancer therapy. Nature Nanotechnology, 19, 554-564. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-023-01577-y
- Abaszadeh, F., Ashoub, M. H., Khajouie, G., et al. (2023). Nanotechnology development in surgical applications: Recent trends and developments. European Journal of Medical Research, 28, 537. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40001-023-01429-4
- Patole, V., Tupe, A., Tanpure, S., et al. (2024). Nanorobotic artificial blood components and its therapeutic applications: A minireview. Irish Journal of Medical Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-024-03617-5
- Azar, A. T., Madian, A., Ibrahim, H., Taha, M. A., Mohamed, N. A., Fathy, Z., & AboAlNaga, B. M. (2020). Medical nanorobots: Design, applications and future challenges. In A. T. Azar (Ed.), Control Systems Design of Bio-Robotics and Bio-mechatronics with Advanced Applications (pp. 329-394). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-817463-0.00011-3
