Project description DEENESFRITPL Magnetic microrobots for liver chemoembolisation Magnetically actuated microrobots were proposed more than a decade ago for accessing remote areas of the human body. The EU-funded MAMBO project aims to develop this revolutionary approach for specific clinical applications including liver chemoembolisation. The main idea is to improve cancer chemotherapy and existing chemoembolisation procedures using a magnetic force to target chemotherapeutics to the specific region and achieve stable embolisation of the tumour blood vessels. The project will develop drug-loaded soft magnetic microrobots responsive to ultrasound. Magnetic swarm control techniques will be employed to enable the microrobots' locomotion in biologically relevant fluids. This will enable microrobot swelling and controlled vessel occlusion while providing simultaneous ultrasound-based imaging to guarantee their tracking in vivo. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective Magnetically actuated untethered microrobots have been proposed in the state of the art since more than a decade towards the dream of accessing remote hard to reach areas of the human body. Nevertheless, some challenges still have to be faced before any microrobot-based therapeutic paradigm can reach the clinical practice. MAMBO (Magnetic swArms for liver chemoeMBOlization) aims at facing some of these challenges by targeting a specific clinical application, namely liver chemoembolization.The proposal stems from the idea to improve cancer chemotherapy and existing chemoembolization procedures by using magnetic forces to collect chemotherapeutics in the target region (through swarm control methods) and to controllably and stably embolize tumor blood vessels. Drug loaded soft magnetic microrobots featured by responsiveness to ultrasound will be developed to this aim. The responsivity to US will enable microrobot swelling and controlled vessel occlusion and at the same time their ultrasound-based imaging to guarantee their tracking in vivo. Magnetic swarm control techniques will be employed to enable microrobots locomotion in biologically-relevant fluids. MAMBO will last 36 months and is articulated in a 24 months outgoing phase carried out at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK – partner organization) and in a 12 months return phase in Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (SSSA – beneficiary organization). In the framework of the project I will try to deepen my skills in magnetic swarm control by benefiting from the major expertise of Prof. Li Zhang’s group. At the same time, I will share with them my background in medical robotics and drug delivery systems towards the development and testing of a novel therapeutic paradigm for cancer treatment. During the return phase at SSSA I will focus on the US imaging of the developed microrobots thanks to the Interaction with Prof. Menciassi’s group and to their expertise in US-based technologies. Fields of science medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologyengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringroboticsnatural sciencesphysical sciencesacousticsultrasound Keywords Microrobotics magnetic swarm medical imaging ultrasound drug delivery chemoembolization Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2019 - Individual Fellowships Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2019 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF) Coordinator SCUOLA SUPERIORE DI STUDI UNIVERSITARI E DI PERFEZIONAMENTO S ANNA Net EU contribution € 252 525,12 Address PIAZZA MARTIRI DELLA LIBERTA 33 56127 Pisa Italy See on map Region Centro (IT) Toscana Pisa Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 252 525,12 Partners (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all Partner Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement. THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG China Net EU contribution € 0,00 Address SHATIN, N.T. N.T. HONG KONG See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 166 788,48
