Tiny robots smaller than a human hair could act as revolutionary new cancer treatment
Michelle Dewberry is joined by cancer victim and campaigner Susan Farrall who tells her story
GB News
Tiny robots thinner than a human hair could revolutionise cancer treatment by delivering drugs directly to tumours, scientists have discovered.
The breakthrough involves special 3D-printed microbots that measure just 30 microns in diameter - a fraction of a millimetre.
These microscopic machines can transform between solid and liquid states and are designed to survive stomach acid.
The innovative robots have already shown promise in reducing bladder tumour size during mouse trials.
Tiny robots thinner than a human hair could revolutionise cancer treatment
Getty
Scientists are now hoping to progress towards human trials in the future.
Professor Wei Gao from Caltech University highlighted the precision of this new technology.
"Rather than putting a drug into the body and letting it diffuse everywhere, now we can guide our microrobots directly to a tumour site and release the drug in a controlled and efficient way," he said.
The research team believes this could be a significant advancement in drug delivery and precision surgery.
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Prof Gao added: "Looking to the future, we could evaluate using this robot as a platform to deliver different types of therapeutic payloads or agents for different conditions."
The microbots are designed to be naturally expelled from the body through urine.
Earlier this month, scientists developed a groundbreaking urine test that could detect early signs of lung cancer - potentially revolutionising how the disease is diagnosed.
The innovative test, developed by a team at the University of Cambridge, identifies proteins from "zombie" cells, which could indicate the presence of lung cancer in its earliest stages.
Earlier this month, scientists at the University of Cambridge developed a groundbreaking urine test that could detect early signs of lung cancer
GettySuccessfully tested on mice, this pioneering development offers hope for earlier detection of a disease that is typically diagnosed in its later stages.
The test works by detecting senescent cells - known as "zombie" cells because while they remain alive in the body and cannot grow or divide.
It could potentially detect cancer months or even years before symptoms appear, offering a significant breakthrough in early diagnosis.
The team is now looking to expand their research beyond lung cancer, with interests in breast, melanoma and pancreatic cancer detection.
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