Skip to Content
MIT News: 77 Mass Ave

Scar-resistant implants

A soft, inflatable device could be the key to developing an artificial pancreas.

October 25, 2022
implantable device
Courtesy of the Researchers

One obstacle to using implantable devices for delivering drugs such as insulin is that the immune system attacks the implant, forming a thick layer of scar tissue that blocks the drugs’ release. Now MIT engineers and collaborators have devised a way to overcome this response without any immunosuppressant drugs.

The team incorporated a drug reservoir into a soft robotic device that also includes a mechanical actuator, which repeatedly inflates and deflates the device. This action drives away immune cells called neutrophils, which initiate the process that leads to scar formation. Any scar tissue that does develop takes a form more likely to let drugs through. In mice, they showed that the device remained functional for much longer than a typical drug-delivery implant.

“We’re using this type of motion to extend the lifetime and the efficacy of these implanted reservoirs that can deliver drugs like insulin, and we think this platform can be extended beyond this application,” says Ellen Roche, senior author of the study along with her former postdoc Eimer Dolan, now a faculty member at the National University of Ireland at Galway.

The researchers now plan to see if they can use the technology to deliver pancreatic islet cells to people with diabetes, forming a “bioartificial pancreas.” Other possible applications include delivering immunotherapy to treat ovarian cancer and drugs to prevent heart failure in patients who have had heart attacks.

Keep Reading

Most Popular

DeepMind’s cofounder: Generative AI is just a phase. What’s next is interactive AI.

“This is a profound moment in the history of technology,” says Mustafa Suleyman.

What to know about this autumn’s covid vaccines

New variants will pose a challenge, but early signs suggest the shots will still boost antibody responses.

Human-plus-AI solutions mitigate security threats

With the right human oversight, emerging technologies like artificial intelligence can help keep business and customer data secure

Next slide, please: A brief history of the corporate presentation

From million-dollar slide shows to Steve Jobs’s introduction of the iPhone, a bit of show business never hurt plain old business.

Stay connected

Illustration by Rose Wong

Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review

Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.

Thank you for submitting your email!

Explore more newsletters

It looks like something went wrong.

We’re having trouble saving your preferences. Try refreshing this page and updating them one more time. If you continue to get this message, reach out to us at customer-service@technologyreview.com with a list of newsletters you’d like to receive.