Mechanical engineers have created an innovative system of artificial cilia that can track mucus conditions in the human airways. This advancement aims to improve the detection of infections, airway blockages, and the seriousness of conditions such as Cystic Fibrosis (CF), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and lung cancer.
Xiaoguang Dong, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, is at the forefront of a research team that has designed artificial cilia to monitor mucus within human airways, enhancing the detection of infections, airway blockages, and the severity of diseases such as Cystic Fibrosis (CF), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD), and lung cancer.
The findings were shared in the November 4 edition of PNAS through the article titled “Sensory Artificial Cilia for In Situ Monitoring of Airway Physiological Properties.”
The researchers highlighted the importance of constant monitoring of airway conditions to ensure prompt interventions, particularly when airway stents are placed to relieve blockage caused by lung cancer and other illnesses. Monitoring mucus conditions is vital as they provide key indicators of inflammation and the status of stents, but achieving this is difficult. Existing techniques, which rely on computed tomography (CT) scans and bronchoscopy, carry radiation risks and cannot deliver continuous real-time feedback outside of clinical settings.
To replicate the sensory functions of natural cilia, Dong and his team developed advanced technology for assessing mucus properties such as viscosity and layer thickness, which are significant indicators of disease severity.
“The viscosity sensing mechanism for mucus utilizes external magnetic fields to activate a magnetic artificial cilium and measure its shape with a flexible strain gauge,” the researchers stated. “Moreover, we present an artificial cilium capable of capacitance sensing for the thickness of the mucus layer, featuring unique self-calibration, adjustable sensitivity, and range— all powered by external magnetic fields from a wearable actuation system.”
The team tested this approach by using the sensors alone or alongside stents in both an artificial trachea and a sheep trachea. The sensing data is wirelessly transmitted to a smartphone or the cloud for additional analysis and disease diagnostics.
“These proposed sensing methods and devices open avenues for real-time monitoring of mucus conditions, aiding in early disease detection and providing alerts for stent functionality, which allows for prompt interventions and personalized medical care,” the study concludes.
This research was conducted in partnership with faculty from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, including Fabien Maldonado, professor of medicine and thoracic surgery; Caitlin Demarest, assistant professor of Thoracic Surgery; and Caglar Oskay, chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Engineering. Yusheng Wang, the lead author of the study, is a third-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Earlier in the year, Dong received the R21 Trailblazer Award from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to advance a project on “Wirelessly Actuated Ciliary Stent for Minimally Invasive Treatment of Cilia Dysfunction.”
The Trailblazer R21 Award is designed to support new and emerging investigators engaged in research that aligns with NIBIB interests, at the convergence of life sciences, engineering, and physical sciences.
