Scientists have developed a plaque covered with tens of millions of micro needles that can replace painful cancer biopsies.
The new technology provides a painless alternative to detecting and monitoring diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s without the need to remove tissue from patients. Each nano peel is 1000 times thinner than a person’s hair and does not cause damage to surrounding tissue, potentially changing the way doctors diagnose and track disease globally.
The plaque works by collecting molecular information from the tissue through these ultra-thin needles. Unlike traditional biopsy that removes parts of tissue, nanofruits create what researchers call “molecular replicas” – detailed chemical maps that reveal disease patterns without damaging the original tissue.
Revolutionary detection without destruction
“We have been working in the Nanides for twelve years, but this is the most exciting development we have so far,” said Dr. Ciro Chiappini, who leads the research published in Natural Nanotechnology. “It opens up a world of possibilities for people with brain cancer, Alzheimer’s and advancing personalized medicine. It will allow scientists (and ultimately clinicians) to study the disease in real time.”
Breakthroughs solve the main limitations in current medical practice. Biopsy is one of the most common diagnostic procedures in the world, performed millions a year. However, they are invasive, can cause complications, and often prevent patients from seeking early diagnosis or follow-up tests.
What makes this technology particularly promising is that it can provide the ability to repeat measurements from the same tissue area. Traditional biopsies can only taste one location at a time, but nano-animals allow doctors to monitor how the disease progresses or respond to treatment over time.
Brain surgery applications
This technology is particularly promising for the diagnosis of brain cancer. During the surgery, applying plaque to suspicious tissue can provide results within 20 minutes, helping surgeons make real-time decisions about removing cancerous areas.
“This approach provides multidimensional molecular information from different types of cells in the same tissue,” Chiappini explained. “The traditional biopsy simply cannot do this. And, since the process does not destroy the tissue, we can sample the same tissue multiple times, which was impossible before.”
Key advantages include:
- Painless procedure, needles are 1,000 times thinner than human hair
- No tissue damage or removal required
- Multiple samples were taken from the same location
- Results available within 20 minutes during the operation
- Real-time disease monitoring capability
Machine learning conforms to molecular detection
A key aspect not highlighted in the initial report involves the complex analytical system behind the fall of nanofruits. The researchers developed machine learning algorithms that can distinguish healthy tissues, different types of brain tumors and tissue death areas, with high accuracy.
When testing 23 human brain tumor samples, molecular replicas of nanohair and traditional tissue sections were the same as determining tumor performance, which was a key factor in treatment decisions. The classification accuracy rate of machine learning systems is 71-75%, which matches the performance of conventional biopsy analysis.
Artificial intelligence components identify specific molecular “fingerprints” including lipids, proteins and genetic materials, and these disease states characterize different diseases. This molecular analysis suggests that certain lipid patterns can accurately distinguish between lower-grade and advanced tumors and may help doctors choose the appropriate treatment faster.
Manufacturing encounters drugs
Nano fruits are made using the same techniques as those of producing computer chips, making it possible to be scalable for a wide range of medical uses. This semiconductor manufacturing method allows precise control of needle size and surface characteristics.
Researchers can integrate nanometer squares into common medical devices such as bandages, endoscopes and even contact lenses. This versatility provides the possibility to monitor various types of tissue throughout the body.
The plaque contains tens of millions of individual nanofruits, each of which is designed to penetrate several microns into the tissues – deep enough to collect molecular information, but shallow enough to avoid damage or pain.
Time tracking reveals the efficacy of treatment
Perhaps most importantly, studies have shown that nanofruits can track tumor responses to chemotherapy over time. In experiments with brain tissue treated with temozolomide, a standard brain cancer drug, nano fruits detect specific changes in tumor metabolism that occur within a few days of treatment.
Longitudinal analysis showed that certain lipid molecules disappeared from the treated tumor while still present in untreated tissues. This ability can help doctors determine whether treatment is much earlier than the current approach allows.
Traditional monitoring usually takes weeks or months to evaluate treatment efficiency by imaging or repeated biopsy. The nanomethods may provide feedback within a few days, allowing for rapid therapeutic adjustments.
Exceeding cancer testing
Although brain cancer applications dominate current research, the technology has a wider impact. The ability to repeatedly sample damage-free tissues can enable monitoring of a variety of diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, autoimmune diseases and organ transplant rejection.
“This can be the outcome of a painful biopsy,” said Dr. Chippani. “Our technology opens up new ways to diagnose and monitor the disease safely and painlessly – encouraging doctors and patients to make better, faster decisions.”
The research team stressed that this breakthrough requires collaboration in multiple fields including nanoengineering, clinical oncology, cell biology and artificial intelligence. Each discipline contributes basic tools to unlock this new diagnostic method together.
The way forward
Before contacting patients, the technology must be clinically tested to establish safety and effectiveness in human applications. However, preclinical results suggest that nanofruits can fundamentally change the way medicine diagnoses tissues.
For millions of patients currently facing painful, invasive biopsy, the technology offers hope for a future where disease surveillance becomes as simple as applying a patch. The ability to track disease in real time without tissue damage can enable early intervention and more personalized treatments.
The study, supported by the European Research Council, Wellcome LEAP and various UK research councils, shows that there is great institutional support for bringing this technology into clinical practice.
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