Deploying nanorobotics for diagnosis and treatment | Simone Schuerle | Summary and Q&A

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August 19, 2019
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World Economic Forum
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Deploying nanorobotics for diagnosis and treatment | Simone Schuerle

TL;DR

Developments in nanoengineering allow for the creation of tiny robots that can deliver drugs, detect disease, and be remotely controlled using magnetic fields.

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Key Insights

  • 🤖 Nano robots can revolutionize disease detection and treatment by being remotely controlled and delivering drugs or sensors to specific locations.
  • 🤖 Lipids, commonly found in cell membranes, serve as a building block for the nano robots, making them compatible with the body.
  • 🤖 Magnetic fields play a crucial role in triggering the release and activation of the nano robots.
  • 😒 Synthetic biology allows for the use of genetically modified viruses, bacteria, and cells in therapeutic applications.

Transcript

my vision is to engineer tiny robots that can roam through the body to detect and treat disease to interact with our cells the system should be as small as a few tens of nanometers which is about a thousandth of the width of a hair the assistance however do not quite look like these illustrations we often find in public media instead they may look ... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: How do nano robots differ from traditional large robots?

Nano robots are designed using materials and principles at the nano scale, while large robots are made of hard metals and joints. Nano robots use lipids and self-assemble into nano balls called liposomes, which can carry drugs or sensors.

Q: How can nano robots be remotely controlled?

Magnetic materials are added to the nano robots, allowing them to respond to magnetic fields. Fast switching magnetic fields cause magnetic nanoparticles to generate heat, melting the robot's shell and releasing the sensor or drug payload.

Q: How can nano robots be used in cancer diagnostics?

Nano shelves, containing sensors cut by specific enzymes, can accumulate in tumor sites due to leaky blood vessels. Magnetic fields are used to locally release the sensor, which can be detected in urine using paper microfluidics.

Q: Can nano robots improve drug delivery to tumors?

By replicating the helical tails of bacterial cells and using magnetic fields, nano robots with a motor-like function can be created. This technology can enhance drug transport in tissue vessel models and even use real bacteria with synthesized magnets as delivery backpacks.

Summary & Key Takeaways

  • The vision is to create nano-sized robots that can navigate the body to detect and treat diseases.

  • Lipids, which are found in cell membranes, are used as building blocks to create these nano robots.

  • Magnetic materials are added to the robots to trigger their release and activation using magnetic fields.

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