Bacterium-based microrobot including magnetic particles

{
  "publication_number": "US8951242B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Bacterium-based microrobot including magnetic particles",
  "abstract": "Provided is a bacterium-based microrobot, wherein bacteria are attached to a part of a surface of a microstructure including at least one or more magnetic particle, for actuating a bacterium-based microrobot more effectively.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A bacterium-based microrobot comprising a microstructure having core/shell structure consisting of a core containing a drug and a shell comprising biodegradable polymer enclosing the core, wherein one or more magnetic particles having diameter of 5 to 500 nm are dispersed in the core and wherein the bacteria are selectively attached to a hydrophobic hemispherical part of the surface of the microstructure, by modifying a hemispherical surface of the microstructure to be hydrophilic if the surface of the microstructure is hydrophobic or modifying the hemispherical surface of the microstructure to be hydrophobic if the surface of the microstructure is hydrophilic.",
    "2. The bacterium-based microrobot of claim 1, wherein the magnetic particles comprise a ferromagnetic substance.",
    "3. The bacterium-based microrobot of claim 1, wherein the microstructure has a multilayer structure.",
    "4. The bacterium-based microrobot of claim 1, further comprising a drug-encapsulated bead in which a drug is encapsulated.",
    "5. The bacterium-based microrobot of claim 4, wherein the drug is an anticancer drug, a radionuclide, a therapeutic drug for ischemic diseases, or a therapeutic drug for infarction.",
    "6. The bacterium-based microrobot of claim 4, further comprising a therapeutic bacterium-encapsulated bead in which therapeutic bacteria are encapsulated.",
    "7. The bacterium-based microrobot of claim 4, wherein the drug is an anticancer drug, a radionuclide, a therapeutic drug for ischemic diseases, or a therapeutic drug for infarction.",
    "8. The bacterium-based microrobot of claim 1, further comprising a therapeutic bacterium-encapsulated bead in which therapeutic bacteria are encapsulated.",
    "9. The bacterium-based microrobot of claim 1, wherein the bacteria are selectively attached to the hydrophobic hemispherical surface of the microstructure by controlling surface energy of a hemispherical surface of the microstructure.",
    "10. An electromagnetic actuating bacterium-based microrobot system, comprising: an EMA (electromagnetic actuation) actuating system comprising an EMA coil system and a location recognition module for recognizing a location of a microrobot; an integral control module for controlling the EMA actuating system; and the bacterium-based microrobot of claim 1 capable of delivering a drug and therapeutic bacteria in vivo.",
    "11. The electromagnetic actuating bacterium-based microrobot system of claim 10, wherein the location recognition module is a bidirectional X-ray or MRI system."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates to a microrobot, and more particularly, to a bacterium-based microrobot including magnetic particles.\n\nDevelopment of micro/nano technologies have allowed for downsizing of structurally, functionally complex robots. But, to resolve issues on robot mobility, recognition-related sensing, and downsizing of a power source which is associated with supply of power, shape-memory alloys or electroactive polymers or the like are used as functional materials. However, the issue caused by size limitation of micro/nano robots remains a conundrum.\n\nActuators can be manufactured using inorganic compounds, but it is expensive to manufacture actuators, and manufacture of their components requires elaborate works. Vibrant research has been proceeding to develop actuating methods using contractile force of rat cardiac muscle cells and insect muscle cells, and motile and controllable actuators using organisms, such as bacteria having excellent motility and the like, for resolving these issues. Particularly, bacteria are also used for diagnosing and treating cancers, heart diseases, brain diseases, and so on. This means that bacteria recognize or sense diseased parts, move or actuate and treat the diseased parts. Using these, a new concept of a bacteria robot which can deliver drugs and therapeutic bacteria to diseased parts has been suggested and studied.",
  "cpc": [
    "A61M 37/00",
    "A61K 35/74",
    "B25J 11/00",
    "C12N 11/00"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A61K 35/74",
    "A61M 37/00",
    "C12N 11/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Industry Foundation of Chonnam National University"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Suk Ho Park",
    "Jong Oh Park",
    "Sung Jun Park"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2012-11-08",
  "publication_date": "2015-02-10",
  "grant_date": "2015-02-10",
  "priority_date": "2011-11-08",
  "application_number": "US-201213671769-A",
  "family_id": "48224186",
  "cited_by_count": 1,
  "citations": [
    "US4674480A",
    "US20070231393A1",
    "KR20090122648A",
    "WO2010050649A1",
    "KR20100048728A",
    "KR20110093324A"
  ]
}