Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41193858›Full record

ArticleNature biotechnology2026

A nonsurgical brain implant enabled through a cell-electronics hybrid for focal neuromodulation.

Shubham Yadav, Ray X Lee, Shivam N Kajale, Baju Joy, Monochura Saha, Preet Patel, Loey Bull, Sarah Cao, Samir Mitragotri, David Bono and 1 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Nature biotechnology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing 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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. In Vivo T-Cell Engineering: Revolution in Delivery Strategies and Clinical Translation.BioDrugs : clinical immunotherapeutics, biopharmaceuticals and gene therapy · 2026
    Review
  3. Mitochondrial DNA as a driver of inflammation via the cGAS-STING pathway.Inflammation research : official journal of the European Histamine Research Society ... [et al.] · 2026
    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

11 authors.

Shubham YadavMIT Media Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Ray X LeeMIT Media Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Shivam N KajaleMIT Media Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8046-976X
Baju JoyMIT Media Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Monochura SahaMIT Media Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Preet PatelMIT Media Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Loey BullDepartment of Neuroscience, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, USA.
Sarah CaoDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Samir MitragotriJohn A Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Allston, MA, USA.
David BonoDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Deblina SarkarMIT Media Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA. deblina@mit.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9662-1666

Funding

Circulatronics: A New Paradigm for Biomedical ImplantsDP2HL168072 · NHLBI · MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY · PI SARKAR, DEBLINA · 2022 to 2025
$2.8M
G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation (G. Harold & Leila Y. Mathers Foundation) MF-2111-02062NHLBI NIH HHS DP2 HL168072
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Bioelectronic implants for brain stimulation are used to treat brain disorders but require invasive surgery. To provide a noninvasive alternative, we report nonsurgical implants consisting of immune cell-electronics hybrids, an approach we call Circulatronics. The devices can be delivered intravenously and traffic autonomously to regions of inflammation in the brain, where they implant and enable neuromodulation, circumventing the need for surgery. To achieve suitable electronics, we designed and built subcellular-sized, wireless, photovoltaic electronic devices that harvest optical energy with high power conversion efficiency. In mice, we demonstrate nonsurgical implantation in an inflamed brain region, as an example of therapeutic target for several neural diseases, by employing monocytes as cells, covalently attaching them to the subcellular-sized, wireless, photovoltaic electronic devices and administering the resulting hybrids intravenously. We also demonstrate neural stimulation with 30-µm precision around the inflamed region. Thus, by fusing electronic functionality with the biological transport and targeting capabilities of living cells, this technology can form the foundation for autonomously implanting bioelectronics.

Indexed as

BrainProstheses and ImplantsAnimalsMiceMonocytesWireless Technology

Identifiers

PMID41193858
PMCPMC13461362

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.