MoSBOTs: Magnetically Driven Biotemplated MoS2‐Based Microrobots for Biomedical Applications

• Published in: Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) Vol. 18; no. 33; pp. e2203821 - n/a
• Main Authors: Asunción‐Nadal, Victor, Franco, Carlos, Veciana, Andrea, Ning, Shen, Terzopoulou, Anastasia, Sevim, Semih, Chen, Xiang‐Zhong, Gong, De, Cai, Jun, Wendel‐Garcia, Pedro D., Jurado‐Sánchez, Beatriz, Escarpa, Alberto, Puigmartí‐Luis, Josep, Pané, Salvador
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.08.2022
• Subjects: 2D materials; Ablation; Bioaccumulation; Biocompatibility; Biomedical materials; biotemplating; Cancer; Cyanobacteria; Electrical properties; Microrobots; minimally invasive medicine; Molybdenum disulfide; Nanomaterials; Nanotechnology; phototherapy
• ISSN: 1613-6810; 1613-6829; 1613-6829
• DOI: 10.1002/smll.202203821

2D layered molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanomaterials are a promising platform for biomedical applications, particularly due to its high biocompatibility characteristics, mechanical and electrical properties, and flexible functionalization. Additionally, the bandgap of MoS2 can be engineered to absorb light over a wide range of wavelengths, which can then be transformed into local heat for applications in photothermal tissue ablation and regeneration. However, limitations such as poor stability of aqueous dispersions and low accumulation in affected tissues impair the full realization of MoS2 for biomedical applications. To overcome such challenges, herein, multifunctional MoS2‐based magnetic helical microrobots (MoSBOTs) using cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis are proposed as biotemplate for therapeutic and biorecognition applications. The cytocompatible microrobots combine remote magnetic navigation with MoS2 photothermal activity under near‐infrared irradiation. The resulting photoabsorbent features of the MoSBOTs are exploited for targeted photothermal ablation of cancer cells and on‐the‐fly biorecognition in minimally invasive oncotherapy applications. The proposed multi‐therapeutic MoSBOTs hold considerable potential for a myriad of cancer treatment and diagnostic‐related applications, circumventing current challenges of ablative procedures. 2D‐molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is a promising nanoplatform for biomedical applications. MoS2 transforms near‐infrared radiation into heat, making this material an excellent photothermal agent for ablation therapies. In order to deliver this material precisely, the integration of 2D‐MoS2 into biotemplated magnetic helical microrobots is proposed (MoSBOTs). These mobile micromachines show promising applications such as targeted photothermal therapies and on‐the‐fly molecular biorecognition.