UC San Diego

Bioinspired microrobots capable of actively moving in biological fluids have attracted considerable attention for biomedical applications because of their unique dynamic features that are otherwise difficult to achieve by their static counterparts. This thesis is dedicated to extending the current microrobotics by utilizing natural cells as the basic elements to design biohybrid microrobots and apply them in diverse biomedical and environmental applications. The first section demonstrates the feasibility to combine natural cell-based materials (e.g. microalgae and blood cell) with synthetic components to fabricate biohybrid microrobots towards versatile applications. The second section focuses on design and fabrication of different types of microalgae-based biohybrid microrobots with efficient autonomous motion, effective cargo loading, long lifespan, adaptable utilization and biological function towards operation in different body locations, such as lung, small intestine and stomach. It further explores the possibility of functional algae-based microrobots to perform versatile tasks including pulmonary infection treatment, targeted GI delivery and virus detoxification. The third section explores the use of blood cell as the main composition to establish biohybrid microrobots. By replicating and inheriting the intrinsic biological functions of the cells, the new cell-based microrobots can be applied to neutralize lipopolysaccharide, deliver antibacterial and anticancer drugs, transport oxygen to treat hypoxia. The biohybrid microrobot platform described in this thesis creates new opportunities in the development of autonomous drug delivery vehicles for treating many diseases.