Magnetic microbot design framework for antiangiogenic tumor therapy

Abstract

This paper presents an optimal design strategy for magnetic targeting of therapeutic drugs. In this study, to maximize the effect of the treatment and minimize adverse effects on the patient, a mathematical model have been developed to find the number and the size of the boluses with respect to the growth of a tumor. Using these models, control strategies are developed to establish a schedule that allows the physician to administer the medication while respecting borne by the patient doses. To transport the drugs, we use therapeutic magnetic boluses composed of magnetic particles aggregates as navigable agents controlled by magnetic gradients. Based on the optimal design of the bolus, an experimental investigation is carried out in millimeter-sized fluidic artery vessels to demonstrate the steerability of the magnetic bolus under different velocity, shearstress and trajectory constraints with a laminar viscous fluidic environment.

An experimental design for the control and assembly of magnetic microwheels

“…Microscale bots have potential for targeted cargo delivery in biological systems [1][2][3]; however, motile efficiency of microbots in complex environments is a challenge. Given their small size, these microbots require propulsion strategies that can overcome the constraints of low Reynolds number fluid mechanics where viscous forces dominate and translation is only possible by symmetry breaking [4,5].…”

Collecting a swarm in a grid environment using shared, global inputs

“…One example is particles with a magnetic core and a catalytic surface for carrying medicinal payloads [7], [8]. An alternative is superparamagnetic iron oxide microparticles, 9 µm particles that are used as a contrast agent in MRI studies [9]. Real-time MRI scanning could allow feedback control using the location of a swarm of these particles.…”

“…Steering magnetic particles using the magnetic gradient coils in an MRI scanner was implemented in [7], [10]. 3D Maxwell-Helmholtz coils are often used for precise magnetic field control [9]. Still needed are motion planning algorithms to guide the swarms of robots through vascular networks.…”