CUG team led by Prof. YANG Huaming from the Engineering Research Center of Nano-Geomaterials has published a long review paper “External power-driven micro/nanorobots: Design, fabrication, and functionalization for tumor diagnosis and therapy” in Progress in Materials Science. PhD candidates AN Miao and FENG Ying are the co-first authors, and Prof. YANG is the corresponding author.
External power-driven MNRs for cancer-related applications
Cancer remains a significant threat to human health and life, and there are still many challenges left to overcome with regard to its diagnosis and effective therapy. Micro/nanorobots (MNRs) are attracting widespread attention for their tumor-related applications, offering many unique advantages over traditional methods. MNRs enable precise navigation, intelligent identification, and targeted drug delivery in complex media. This is a promising approach for tumor diagnosis and therapy.
This review focuses on the current status of external power-driven MNRs for cancer-related applications. MNRs driven by external power can continue to operate without contact, non-invasively, and without needing to be supplied with fuel. Current prospects regarding MNR-based applications in oncology are summarized from the design, fabrication, actuation, functionalization, and safety perspectives. Specific action modes of different MNR techniques in terms of diverse tumor types are analyzed through a detailed exploration of diagnosis, detection of problems, and treatment. We summarize the current advantages and the future directions of external power-driven MNRs for tumor diagnosis and therapy. Finally, possible future challenges pertaining to MNRs are highlighted. It is our hope that this compilation of information will help to further advance the translation and integration of MNR methods into routine oncology treatment in clinical settings.
Progress in Materials Science publishes authoritative and critical reviews of recent advances in the science of materials and their exploitation in engineering and other applications.
(Edited and translated from the Chinese version)
