Microbubbles for medicine
Researchers from the Acoustic Robotics for Life Sciences and Healthcare group of Professor Daniel Ahmed at the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering have steered microbubbles through the bloodstream using acoustic signals in vivo. This method offers novel therapeutic options.
Researchers led by ETH Professor Daniel Ahmed have demonstrated how tiny gas-filled particles can be manipulated in live zebrafish embryos which are widely used as a model in biological research. This is achieved by positioning four miniaturized piezoelectric actuators at 90 degrees to each other, which control tiny bubbles injected into the embryo. The researchers were even able to manipulate these bubbles in blood vessels with precision to a thousandth of a millimeter, all while avoiding interfering with circulating blood cells. These experiments enabled the group to explore exciting new treatment methods like for example the transport of substances into tumor cells.
More information on the publication external page here.