Tiny robots may offer a big promise.
Glioblastoma is the deadliest type of brain cancer, with a median survival of 14.6 months after diagnosis. Because these tumours are found deep inside the brain and surrounded by areas that control vital functions like breathing, they remain extremely difficult to treat and may return even after surgery. A team of Queen’s researchers is exploring a new way to approach this disease—using a robot no bigger than a bubble.
“Brain tumours are very hard to treat and very hard to reach,” said Xian Wang, assistant professor in Mechanical and Materials Engineering, in an interview with The Journal. “Some are located so close to important brain regions that removing them surgically can be nearly impossible.”
Wang, who received a $100,000 grant from the Brain Canada Foundation and was named a Future Leader in Canadian Brain Research, leads the project Dual-Actuated Acoustic Microbubble Microrobots for Targeted and Precision Brain Tumour Treatment.
The research focuses on developing microscopic, bubble-like robots capable of moving through brain tissue and applying targeted mechanical stimulation to tumours. In development for more than five years, the project involves collaborations with the University of Toronto and SickKids Hospital.
The team’s currently studying how the robots interact with tumour tissue, identifying safe and effective doses, and preparing for animal studies as a next step toward potential clinical trials.
Unlike traditional glioblastoma treatments that rely on surgery or chemotherapy, these robots aim to physically disrupt tumour cells at the nanoscale. The concept builds on microbubbles already used as contrast agents in medical imaging, which Wang’s team is adapting to explore what he calls “nanosurgery” that will target tumour cells without cutting into the brain.
Glioblastoma’s devastating prognosis was the motivating factor for Wang’s research.
“The biggest inspiration came from the desperate situation for glioblastoma patients,” he said. He explained that that the team began to rethink conventional approaches, asking themselves how they might use a physical method the tumour wouldn’t be able to adapt to.
Earlier iterations involved magnetic carbon nanotube microrobots, but the team has since shifted towards using FDA-approved materials to ensure the design will be more suitable for future clinical applications.
“We want a systemic study to make this work in animal models before it can move forward to clinical trials,” Wang explained, who noted that while the technology may be promising, clinical application will take time and further research.
Although glioblastoma remains the team’s main focus, Wang’s lab is also testing the technology on medulloblastoma, a pediatric brain cancer, to explore whether the same treatment mechanism could be used for other types of tumours.
For Wang, however, the project represents more than a single innovation.
“Cancer is a very complicated disease. And not only biology or medicine can contribute,” he said. “Engineering, physics, and other fields can provide unique angles to tackle this disease. It’ll take efforts from all of us.”
He credits the collaborative environment at Queen’s for supporting this kind of interdisciplinary research. “We’re in close proximity to other departments, and our communication channels are very open,” he said. “We actively collaborate with biology, health sciences, and other engineering departments.”
The diversity of perspectives, Wang noted, is essential. “Sometimes the more distinct the areas, the more out-of-the-box the approach becomes.”
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