Drug delivery

Yale researchers have developed a new oral medication for type 1 diabetes. In tests in mice, the drug quickly adjusted insulin levels, restored metabolic functions and reversed inflammation, opening up a potential way to prevent the disease.

Researchers have developed microbots made of stem cells that can be delivered through the nose into the brain. These “Cellbots,” which bypass the blood-brain barrier, could one day be used to treat brain cancers and neurodegenerative diseases.

Tiny 3D-printed robotic animals could one day delivering drugs directly to cancers, to help reduce side effects. These microrobots are steered by magnets, and only release their drug payload when they encounter the acidic environment around a tumor.

Nature is a never-ending source of inspiration for robots, whether it’s bees, bacteria or fish. Now an unlikely new candidate has joined the list – starfish larvae, which use tiny hairs to create a vortex to propel themselves or suck in food.

Although scientists have been working on "microbots" that could deliver drugs within the body, one challenge remains – powering the things without the use of bulky onboard batteries. A new approach utilizes ultrasound waves that act on tiny bubbles.

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a nasty bacteria that can cause pneumonia. It’s a tough one to fight, but now researchers have developed an inhalable vaccine that, in mouse tests, can invoke a strong immune response against several strains of the bacteria.

Researchers have developed particles called dendrimers that are covered in tiny tentacles, arranged in patterns too small for the immune system to detect. These could be handy for delivering drugs or camouflaging implants to prevent rejection.

Various groups are currently working on tiny "robots" that could deliver medication to specific locations within the body. One of the latest such microbots, known as the MANiAC, is designed specifically for use in the delicate central nervous system.

Researchers in Germany have developed a new method to treat viral infections by making traps. The team folded DNA into nano-capsules with specialized binding points inside them, which could grab hold of viruses and render them inert.

Getting traditionally administered drugs into the brain can be challenging, due to the body's protective blood-brain barrier. There may be new hope, however, in the form of a patch that gets shoved up the patient's nose.

Patients don't like getting needles, nor do clinicians like having to keep protein-based vaccines cold at all times. A new polymer wafer – which dissolves when placed under the tongue – could address both issues.

Although there are implants that gradually release medication at specific sites within the body, it can be difficult to control their rate of release. An experimental new device, however, dispenses drugs when externally activated by a shockwave.