BioBots: Optically controlled microrobots for precise manipulation of biological samples

Can you imagine microrobots able to perform microsurgery on living cells and tissues? It would change the way we study and understand cellular responses and open countless new doors for biomedical research. Could this be achieved by precise optical manipulation of microtools in biological fluids, such as sweat, saliva, seminal fluid or mucus? This project aims at answering this question by developing BioBots – light-controlled microrobots as a novel toolbox for biological applications. Our group has previously reported 3D-printed microstructures that can be controlled in water using intelligently-shaped laser beams. Shape and surface chemistry optimization might be the key to make the jump to biologically relevant media. The ability to precisely manipulate our BioBots – microrobots similar in size to mammalian cells – in biological samples would be an invaluable asset for research in areas such as drug delivery, diagnostics or artificial insemination.