Towards hybrid microrobots using pH- and photo-responsive hydrogels for cancer targeting and drug delivery
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Power, M
Anastasova, S
Shanel, S
Yang, GZ
Type
Conference Paper
Abstract
This work is towards targeted drug delivery using microrobots functionalized to navigate towards naturally occurring pH gradients caused by cancer cells, and to release a payload in response to a light stimulus. Stimuli-responsive microrobots for the localization of specific cell types and targeted drug delivery could provide a new and promising therapy to prevent and treat the spread of cancer. In this work, we present two novel biocompatible photoresists for the fabrication of hybrid microrobots using two-photon polymerization (TPP) for medical applications. One biomarker for cancerous cells is that they exhibit lower pH compared to surrounding healthy tissue. In this work, a pH-responsive resist was developed and demonstrated to automatically seek a low-pH solid in a microfluidic channel, simulating metastatic cells within a vessel. The second resist, a hydrogel-based photoresist, was created to contract in response to light. The two resists were combined together in a two-step printing process to create a microswimmer with potential for tumor localization and drug release capabilities in the human circulatory system.
Date Issued
2017-07-24
Date Acceptance
2017-05-29
Citation
Proceedings - IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, 2017, pp.6002-6007
ISBN
9781509046331
ISSN
1050-4729
Publisher
IEEE
Start Page
6002
End Page
6007
Journal / Book Title
Proceedings - IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation
Copyright Statement
© 2017 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.
Sponsor
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Grant Number
EP/L014149/1
Source
2017 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)
Publication Status
Published
Start Date
2017-05-29
Finish Date
2017-06-03
Coverage Spatial
Singapore