IISc Researcher Engineers Microscopic Robots to Combat Cancer

Ambarish Ghosh, a researcher at the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru, is spearheading efforts to create microscopic machines capable of navigating the human body to fight cancer at the cellular level. His work centres on harnessing magnetic fields to control and direct these diminutive robots with unprecedented precision.

The research programme began with the development of magnetically controlled swimming robots, which Ghosh and his team designed using spiral-shaped configurations. These nanoscale devices can be remotely guided through bodily fluids and tissues, opening new possibilities for targeted drug delivery and tumour destruction.

By exploiting magnetic field interactions, the micro-robots can be steered to specific locations within the body, potentially allowing doctors to concentrate therapeutic agents directly at cancer sites while minimising damage to healthy tissue. This approach addresses a critical limitation of conventional chemotherapy, which often affects both malignant and normal cells indiscriminately.

The technology remains in developmental stages, but researchers believe it could eventually transform cancer treatment protocols across India and globally. Such innovations in biomedical engineering demonstrate the potential of Indian scientific institutions to contribute meaningful solutions to pressing healthcare challenges.

The project represents a convergence of nanotechnology, magnetic engineering, and medical science—fields in which Indian research institutions have been making significant strides in recent years.