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Traditional medications have limitations when it comes to treating brain tumours, brain haemorrhages, and other neurological and psychological conditions. Researchers are now working on a more targeted approach that will deliver medications to very specifically defined locations, minimizing side effects. Their solution? Mini-transporters that can be guided through the maze of blood vessels in the brain.
Researchers at ETH Zurich, the University of Zurich, and the University Hospital Zurich have achieved a groundbreaking milestone by guiding microvehicles through the blood vessels in the brain of an animal using ultrasound.
Ultrasound is the key
Compared to other navigation technologies, ultrasound offers distinct advantages. “In addition to being widely used in the medical field, ultrasound is safe and penetrates deep into the body,” explains Daniel Ahmed, Professor of Acoustic Robotics at ETH Zurich.
By using gas-filled microbubbles coated in lipids, researchers have demonstrated that these microvehicles can be successfully guided through blood vessels. “Since these bubbles are already approved for use in humans, it’s likely that our technology will be approved and used in treatments for humans more quickly,” says Ahmed.
Advantages of ultrasound-guided microbubbles
One of the main advantages of the ultrasound-guided microbubbles is that they dissolve in the body once they’ve completed their mission, making them ideal for medical use. In addition, they are small and smooth, allowing for easy navigation through narrow capillaries.
Testing the method
In collaboration with researchers from the University of Zurich and University Hospital Zurich, the team has successfully tested their method on blood vessels in the brains of mice. Using ultrasound, they were able to hold the vesicles in place and guide them through the brain vessels against the direction of blood flow.