Researchers use Biohybrid Robots made from algae to treat Cancer
Being able to identify the earliest stages of disease and treat it with ultimate precision will help doctors treat patients better and help patients recover faster.
Key takeaways
- Over the past year scientists have developed 3D printed enzyme powered nanobots that can surf through the body's bloodstream looking for and treating disease, and brain controlled nanobots that release drugs inside cockroaches.
- Despite their highly technical capability the robots the team built are made from Spirulina algae, a product that's more recognisable as a health food product than a building material.
- The robots are also able to sense changes in the body associated with the onset of illness, an ability that could make them useful tools for diagnosis.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2017) 'Researchers use Biohybrid Robots made from algae to treat Cancer', 311 Institute, 23 December. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/researchers-use-biohybrid-robots-made-from-algae-to-treat-cancer/ (Accessed: 8 October 2026).
Over the past year scientists have developed 3D printed enzyme powered nanobots that can surf through the body's bloodstream looking for and treating disease, and brain controlled nanobots that release drugs inside cockroaches. Now though scientists in the UK have developed tiny, remote controlled, micro "biohybrid" robots with the ability to release cancer targeting drugs, which they hope will one day be used to diagnose disease and administer drugs inside the human body.
The biohybrid robots are so called because they're made up of biological cells that have useful "engineered features" added on, in this case namely magnetic particles that allow them to be guided around the body. Despite their highly technical capability the robots the team built are made from Spirulina algae, a product that's more recognisable as a health food product than a building material.
“Rather than fabricate functional micro biohybrid robots from scratch using intricate laboratory techniques and processes, we set out to directly engineer smart materials in nature,” said Professor Li Zhang, an engineer at the Chinese University of Hong Kong who contributed to the Science Robotics study, and as a result they were able to make use of the algae’s intrinsic properties.
“For instance, because these biohybrid bots have a naturally fluorescent biological interior and magnetic iron-oxide exterior, we can track and actuate a swarm of those agents inside the body quite easily using fluorescence imaging and magnetic resonance imaging,” said Professor Zhang.
This meant the scientists were able to control the robots remotely using magnetism as they moved them to sites in the stomachs of rats where they were used to release the cancer fighting compounds prescicely to the right area, meaning they could have the potential to treat disease.
“Creating robotic systems which can be propelled and guided within the body has been and still is a holy grail in the field of delivery system engineering,” said Nanomedicine researcher Professor Kostas Kostarelos, another team member from the University of Manchester.
The robots are also able to sense changes in the body associated with the onset of illness, an ability that could make them useful tools for diagnosis.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
Being able to identify the earliest stages of disease and treat it with ultimate precision will help doctors treat patients better and help patients recover faster.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 15-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- Eaaq1155 robotics.sciencemag.org
- University of Manchester independent.co.uk
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 23 December 2017. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2017). Researchers use Biohybrid Robots made from algae to treat Cancer. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/researchers-use-biohybrid-robots-made-from-algae-to-treat-cancer/
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