Summary: Researchers have developed a wireless, implantable neural interface that can deliver drugs directly to deep brain regions with precision. The device uses a soft, flexible micro-pump and channel design to ensure controlled, backflow-free infusion without external equipment.
Wireless control allows real-time adjustment of dosage and delivery rate, enhancing personalization of treatment. This breakthrough could pave the way for long-term, tailored therapies for brain disorders such as Parkinson’s and epilepsy.
Key Facts:
- Blood-Brain Barrier Bypass: Device delivers drugs directly where needed, avoiding systemic side effects.
- Wireless Control: Infusion rate and dosage can be adjusted remotely in real time.
- Soft Materials: Flexible design ensures compatibility with brain tissue for safe long-term use.
Source: DGIST
A research team led by Professor Kyung-In Jang in the Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering at DGIST (President Kunwoo Lee) has developed an implantable wireless neural interface capable of delivering drugs precisely to deep regions of the brain.
The device incorporates a micro-pump and microchannel structure based on flexible materials, thereby enabling precise drug infusion at desired times and locations without needing external equipment.
The research team expects that this technology could be applied to the treatment of intractable brain diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy.
One of the greatest challenges in treating brain diseases is the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which makes it difficult for drugs to reach the targeted region and poses significant risks of side effects when administered systemically.
Existing drug infusion devices also rely on external pumps and tubes, consequently restricting patient mobility and limiting their feasibility for long-term use.
To address this challenge, the team led by Professor Kyung-In Jang designed a fully flexible implantable device. They achieved precise drug delivery without backflow by applying a micro-pump, which mimics gastrointestinal peristalsis, and an inclined nozzle-diffuser channel.
In addition, a wireless control module was incorporated, thereby enabling real-time adjustment of infusion rate and dosage.
To verify the performance of the device, the team conducted experiments using a brain phantom (agarose gel). The results confirmed that drugs were delivered constantly without backflow and that infusion rate and dosage could be freely controlled via wireless signals.
In addition, all components were fabricated from soft materials, thus ensuring good compatibility with brain tissue and demonstrating stable insertion and operation.
The implantable wireless neural interface developed through this research serves as a new platform capable of delivering drugs precisely without relying on external equipment, thereby overcoming the limitations of conventional methods.
In the future, this is expected to evolve into a personalized treatment system by integrating electrodes and sensors to monitor patients’ brain signals in real time and automatically administer drugs when needed.
Professor Kyung-in Jang stated, “The device developed in this study has enabled precise wireless drug delivery to deep regions of the brain. Moving forward, we will verify its long-term stability for clinical application and expand it into a treatment platform for various neurological disorders.”
Funding: This research was supported by the Industrial Technology Alchemist Project of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy and the Nano and Material Technology Development Project of the Ministry of Science and ICT.
The findings were published in August in npj Flexible Electronics, an international academic journal.
About this neurotech and neuropharmacology research news
Author: Wankyu Lim
Source: DGIST
Contact: Wankyu Lim – DGIST
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access.
“A soft neural interface with a tapered peristaltic micropump for wireless drug delivery” by Kyung-In Jang et al. npj Flexible Electronics
Abstract
A soft neural interface with a tapered peristaltic micropump for wireless drug delivery
Achieving precise, localized drug delivery within the brain remains a major challenge due to the restrictive nature of the blood–brain barrier and the risk of systemic toxicity.
Here, we present a fully soft neural interface incorporating a thermo-pneumatic peristaltic micropump integrated with asymmetrically tapered microchannels for targeted, on-demand wireless drug delivery.
All structural and functional components are fabricated from soft materials, ensuring mechanical compatibility with brain tissue.
The system employs sequential actuation of microheaters to generate unidirectional airflow that drives drug infusion from an on-board reservoir.
The nozzle–diffuser geometry of the microchannels minimizes backflow while enabling controlled, continuous delivery without mechanical valves.
Fluid dynamics simulations guided the optimization of the microfluidic design, resulting in robust forward flow with minimal reflux. Benchtop validation in brain-mimicking phantoms confirmed consistent and programmable drug infusion.
This platform represents a significant advancement in neuropharmacological research and therapeutic delivery for central nervous system disorders.
