Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40073130›Full record

ArticleScience advances2025

Active microgel particle swarms for intrabronchial targeted delivery.

Hui Chen, Junhui Law, Yibin Wang, Ziheng Chen, Xingzhou Du, Kaiwen Fang, Zhe Wang, Feng Duan, Yu Sun, Jiangfan Yu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Science advances, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
13citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

13 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Review
  8. Review
  9. Review
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Molecular imaging and biology · 2025
    Article
  13. Microrobotic Swarms for Cancer Therapy.Research (Washington, D.C.) · 2025
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Hui ChenSchool of Science and Engineering, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China.ORCID 0000-0002-8629-8834
Junhui LawDepartment of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-6033-7639
Yibin WangSchool of Science and Engineering, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China.ORCID 0000-0003-4361-606X
Ziheng ChenSchool of Science and Engineering, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China.ORCID 0000-0001-9970-5243
Xingzhou DuSchool of Science and Engineering, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China.ORCID 0000-0002-8526-7286
Kaiwen FangSchool of Science and Engineering, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China.ORCID 0009-0008-0220-9226
Zhe WangDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital and Shenzhen Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Shenzhen, China.ORCID 0000-0002-4559-5912
Feng DuanDepartment of Interventional Radiology, Chinese PLA General Hospital First Medical Center, Beijing, China.ORCID 0000-0001-8432-590X
Yu SunDepartment of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-7895-0741
Jiangfan YuSchool of Science and Engineering, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China.ORCID 0000-0002-7981-6744

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Intrabronchial delivery of therapeutic agents is critical to the treatment of respiratory diseases. Targeted delivery is demanded because of the off-target accumulation of drugs in normal lung tissues caused by inhalation and the limited motion dexterity of clinical bronchoscopes in tortuous bronchial trees. Herein, we developed microrobotic swarms consisting of magnetic hydrogel microparticles to achieve intrabronchial targeted delivery. Under programmed magnetic fields, the microgel particle swarms performed controllable locomotion and adaptative structure reconfiguration in tortuous and air-filled environments. The swarms were further integrated with imaging contrast agents for precise tracking under x-ray fluoroscopy and computed tomography imaging. Magnetic navigation of the swarms in an ex vivo lung phantom and in vivo delivery into deep branches of the bronchial trees were achieved. The on-demand reconfiguration of swarms for avoiding the microgel particles from entering nontarget bronchi and the precise delivery into tilted bronchi through climbing motion were validated.

Indexed as

BronchiDrug Delivery SystemsAnimalsHumansHydrogelsMicePhantoms, ImagingTomography, X-Ray ComputedHydrogels

Identifiers

PMID40073130
PMCPMC11900871

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.