DISCOVERIES
MICROSCOPIC ROBOTS COULD SOON ENTER PATIENTS’ LIVERS TO FIGHT CANCER
MEDICINE
Researchers are closing in on a novel approach to treat tumours using tiny robots
Microscopic robots might be a common sci-fi theme, but they’re increasingly finding their way into real-life applications.
The most recent application comes from a team of researchers in Canada who are using tiny bots, in conjunction with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines, to treat liver cancer. As the robots are made of iron-oxide nanoparticles, they can be guided by an external magnetic field – in this case, the field generated by the MRI machine – to theoretically provide targeted medical treatment.