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Laser-Guided Self-Rolled Magnetic Microrobots for Targeted Biofilm Eradication in Severely Infected Medical Stents

  • Yi Chen (Co-first Author)
  • , Rongliang Yang (Co-first Author)
  • , Minseong Kim
  • , Yee Him Timothy Chan
  • , Haosong Zhong
  • , Hong Wang
  • , Le Jing
  • , Yang Xu
  • , Myra Aslam Qureshi
  • , Huanlong Liu
  • , Xupeng Lu
  • , Siyu Chen
  • , Yifan Jiang
  • , Shiming Lei
  • , Yajing Shen
  • , Hongri Gu
  • , Na Jiang*
  • , Wenqi Hu*
  • , Mitch Guijun Li*
  • *Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

Abstract

Pathogenic bacterial biofilms on biological interfaces and implanted medical devices are highly resistant to conventional antimicrobial therapies, leading to persistent infections and device failure. Magnetically driven micro/nanomotors (MNMs) offer a promising platform for localized drug delivery and in situ biofilm eradication in complex anatomical environments. However, current MNMs face critical challenges, including the serious risks of retention in vivo and insufficient propulsion within viscoelastic biofilms. Here, a laser-guided self-assembly strategy is developed to assemble tubular magnetic micromotors from high-entropy alloy/polyimide (HEA/PI) bilayers for hydrogel-based drug delivery and biofilm eradication inside implantable medical tubes. Programmable direct laser writing converts PI into laser-induced graphene (LIG) while simultaneously inducing controlled self-rolling of the HEA/LIG bilayers into mechanically robust micro-rolls. Under rotating gradient magnetic fields, these micro-rolls display controllable oscillatory–spiral propulsion in confined microchannels, enabling fast transport and site-specific drug release. When filled with an antibiotic-loaded hydrogel, the HEA/LIG micro-rolls achieve synergistic mechanical biofilm disruption and localized antibiotic release within E. coli–infected pancreatic duct stents, resulting in a 97% sterilization efficiency, 44% higher than that achieved by standard chemical sterilization. This work establishes an unprecedented laser manufacturing paradigm for medical micromotors, providing a minimally invasive approach for targeted biofilm removal from hard-to-reach anatomical sites. © 2026 Wiley-VCH GmbH.
Original languageEnglish
Article numbere74469
Number of pages19
JournalSmall
Volume22
Issue number48
Online published14 Jul 2026
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 26 Aug 2026
Externally publishedYes

Funding

This work was supported by the funding of the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (C6001-22Y, C6053-23G, ECS No. 26308524, and JLFS/P-603/24), Research Physician Scheme of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.: 82370743). The authors would also like to express their sincere thanks to the support from the State Key Laboratory of Displays and Opto-Electronics at HKUST.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
    SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

Research Keywords

  • biofilm eradication
  • high-entropy alloy
  • laser-induced graphene
  • magnetic microrobots
  • micro-roll
  • self-assembly

RGC Funding Information

  • RGC-funded

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