Author: XIN Hongbao

Publisher: School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering 

Date: March 7, 2024

In a significant advancement in the field of optoelectronic soft biological micro robots, Professor Xin Hongbao's team from the School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering at JNU has achieved remarkable progress. Utilizing optical methods, the team has successfully developed a novel type of microalgae, known as slender naked algae, into a highly precise, deformable, and environmentally adaptable soft biological micro robot. This innovative micro robot demonstrates exceptional capabilities for executing various biomedical tasks in intricate microenvironments, such as the intestine, including precise drug delivery, lesion cell removal, and photodynamic therapy.

（Screenshot of the paper）

The research findings, titled Light-controlled Soft Bio Micro Robot, have been published in the esteemed international academic journal Light: Science & Applications. The paper's co-first authors are Dr. Xiong Jianyun and Li Xing from the Institute of Nanophotonics, with Professor Xin Hongbao serving as the corresponding author. The groundbreaking work has received substantial support from Professor Li Baojun.

The development of micro nano robots has revolutionized complex biomedical tasks in microenvironments due to their small size, controllability, and precise navigation capabilities. However, the variable morphologies of many biomedical environments pose challenges for traditional rigid micro robots, which lack deformability. The creation of multifunctional soft micro robots with high controllability, deformability, and environmental adaptability is crucial for executing precise micro operations in dynamic microenvironments.

Addressing this challenge, Professor Xin Hongbao's team has introduced a solution with light-controlled soft biological micro robots, utilizing the naturally abundant microalgae, slender naked algae, as the foundational material for constructing these soft micro robots. The naked algae's biological compatibility and environmental adaptability make it an ideal candidate for this innovative approach. Leveraging the photosensitive proteins' sensitivity to blue light, the team activated these proteins and calcium ion channels using 450nm wavelength blue light. This activation regulated flagella movement and epidermal transverse mode sliding, enabling precise navigation and deformation control of the slender naked algae. Subsequently, the team transformed the algae into a soft biological micro robot capable of executing diverse biomedical tasks.

The deformable and adaptable nature of these micro robots allows for targeted drug delivery and selective removal of diseased cells in complex microfluidic channels, intestinal mucosa, and other intricate microenvironments. Notably, the abundant chlorophyll in slender naked algae enables the micro robot to perform photosynthesis and oxygen production under light exposure. Furthermore, under 670nm wavelength laser irradiation, chlorophyll can be converted into leaf green derivatives, serving as a natural photosensitizer for precise photodynamic analysis of cancer cells in targeted areas.

For further details, the paper can be accessed through the following link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41377-024-01405-5