Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a precision drug delivery system that combines magnetic steering with light-triggered release, offering a new approach to targeted therapies—especially for cancer. The system uses lipid vesicles, which are microscopic containers similar in structure to cells, to carry drugs. These vesicles are engineered to encapsulate superparamagnetic particles, allowing them to be guided through fluid environments using external magnetic fields.
The innovation solves a major challenge in targeted drug delivery: how to direct therapeutic agents to specific sites in the body without affecting surrounding tissue. By using magnetic fields—like those generated by MRI machines—the vesicles can be steered to precise locations. Once in position, a laser light activates the vesicles to release their drug payload, ensuring that treatment occurs only at the intended site.
To build the system, researchers used an “inverted emulsion” method to encapsulate magnetic particles within lipid droplets. This technique yielded high concentrations of vesicles with embedded particles, which were then tested in microfluidic channels. A custom 3D-printed platform allowed magnets to be mounted around the channels, and researchers observed how vesicle speed and movement varied depending on the size ratio between the magnetic particle and the vesicle.
The team also partnered with Santa Clara University to simulate the internal dynamics of the vesicles using computational models. These simulations helped predict how the magnetic particles drag the vesicles through fluid, offering insights into how to optimize design for future clinical use.
The dual-trigger system—magnetic steering followed by light-induced release—lays the groundwork for a comprehensive drug delivery platform. It could be especially useful in treating cancers where precision is critical and systemic toxicity must be minimized. The researchers are now preparing for in vitro studies using real drugs and simulated biological environments to further validate the technology.
Article from the University of Illinois: Precision drug delivery with magnetic steering and light-triggered release
Abstract in Nanoscale: Magnetically driven lipid vesicles for directed motion and light-triggered cargo release
