Subscribe now

Health

Microbots tracked while navigating through a living mouse’s brain

Ultrasound has been used to direct microbots made from bubbles through the brain of a mouse as they are tracked, and the technology might one day help unblock clots that can cause stroke

By Jason Arunn Murugesu

15 February 2023

Image of blood vessels in a mouse brain with an the inset picture showing fluorescent microbubbles that have been directed with ultrasound

Image of blood vessels in a mouse brain with a blow-up showing fluorescent microbubbles being directed with ultrasound (scale bar is 10 micrometres)

Shuler, Megan

Biological microbots made from bubbles have been tracked moving inside the brain of a living mouse as they were steered by ultrasound.

“While the mouse is under the microscope, we can see the small particles moving in the blood,” says Daniel Ahmed at ETH Zurich in Switzerland.

Many people hope that microbots – which are often made from simple biological compounds or tissues when used for medicine, rather…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox! We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

View introductory offers

No commitment, cancel anytime*

Offer ends 2nd of July 2024.

*Cancel anytime within 14 days of payment to receive a refund on unserved issues.

Inclusive of applicable taxes (VAT)

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account