Reviewed by Lexie CornerNov 8 2024
A research team at Vanderbilt University, led by Xiaoguang Dong, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, has developed an artificial cilia system designed to monitor mucus conditions in human airways. This technology aims to improve the detection of infections, airway obstructions, and the severity of diseases such as Cystic Fibrosis (CF), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and lung cancer. The findings of this research were published in the journal PNAS.
Image Credit: Vanderbilt University
The researchers highlighted the significance of continuous monitoring of airway conditions for timely intervention, especially when airway stents are utilized to alleviate central airway obstructions in lung cancer and other diseases. Mucus conditions are particularly important as biomarkers for inflammation and stent patency, but monitoring them can be challenging. Current methods, which rely on CT imaging and bronchoscopy, involve radiation risks and do not provide continuous, real-time feedback outside of hospital settings.
To address these limitations, Dong and his team developed innovative technology that emulates the sensing capabilities of biological cilia. This advancement enables the detection of mucus conditions, such as viscosity and layer thickness, which are critical indicators of disease severity.
The researchers noted: “The sensing mechanism for mucus viscosity leverages external magnetic fields to actuate a magnetic artificial cilium and sense its shape using a flexible strain-gauge. Additionally, we report an artificial cilium with capacitance sensing for mucus layer thickness, offering unique self-calibration, adjustable sensitivity, and range, all enabled by external magnetic fields generated by a wearable magnetic actuation system.”
The researchers evaluated this method by placing the sensors either independently or integrated with an airway stent within both an artificial trachea and a sheep trachea. The sensing signals are transmitted wirelessly to a smartphone or the cloud, facilitating further data analysis and disease diagnosis.
“The proposed sensing mechanisms and devices pave the way for real-time monitoring of mucus conditions, facilitating early disease detection and providing stent patency alerts, thereby allowing timely interventions and personalized care,” according to the research.
This research was conducted in collaboration with Vanderbilt University Medical Center faculty, including Fabien Maldonado, Professor of Medicine and Thoracic Surgery; Caitlin Demarest, Assistant Professor of Thoracic Surgery; and Caglar Oskay, Chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Engineering. The study’s first author, Yusheng Wang, is a third-year Ph.D. Student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Earlier this year, Dong received an R21 Trailblazer Award from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct a project titled “Wirelessly Actuated Ciliary Stent for Minimally Invasive Treatment of Cilia Dysfunction.”
The Trailblazer R21 Award supports new and early-stage investigators conducting research at the intersection of life sciences, engineering, and physical sciences, which align with NIBIB's high-priority areas of interest.
Journal Reference:
Wang, Y., et al. (2024) Sensory artificial cilia for in situ monitoring of airway physiological properties. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2412086121.