Magnetoelectric materials for targeted drug delivery

Micro and nanorobots are promising candidates for targeted therapeutic interventions and controlled drug delivery because of the ability to control their locomotion, leading to accurate targeting. An externally triggered mobile micro or nanorobot, which uses the same power source for locomotion and on-demand therapeutics, would result in a highly integrated device. However, avoiding interference between these tasks is challenging.

In our lab, we are integrating different magnetoelectric composite materials on micro and nanorobotic devices, demonstrating that they can be actuated and triggered using different magnetic fields for targeted drug delivery to kill cancer cells.  

Distinct magnetic stimuli resulting from the same energy source – alternating magnetic fields for drug release and rotating magnetic fields for nanowire steering – enable these devices to carry and deliver drugs effectively to the targeted site while minimizing the side effects of drugs administered systemically. The proposed nanorobots represent a further step in the development of miniaturized magnetoelectric platforms for biomedical applications.

Contacts: Fajer Mushtaq, Harun Torlakcik, Qiao Tang, Xiangzhong Chen

References:

Chen, X. Z.; Hoop, M.; Shamsudhin, N.; Huang, T.; Özkale, B.; Li, Q.; Siringil, E.; Mushtaq, F.; Tizio, L. D.; Nelson, B. J.; Pané, S., HybridMagnetoelectric Nanowires for Nanorobotic Applications: Fabrication, Magnetoelectric Coupling and Magnetically-assisted In Vitro Targeted Drug Delivery. Advanced Materials, 2017, 29, 1605458.