KAIST research team that developed the self-propelled cell robot. From left: Professors Choi In-sung and Lee Ho-jae, integrated master’s and Ph.D. students Han Sang-young and Lim Hyung-bin, and Ph.D. candidate Kim Na-young. (Image courtesy of KAIST)
DAEJEON, June 30 (Korea Bizwire) — In a breakthrough that could reshape targeted drug delivery and biomedical engineering, South Korea’s Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced Monday the development of self-moving cell robots fueled by biological waste products.
While global research on micrometer- and nanometer-scale non-living self-propelling robots is well advanced, the application of living cells as autonomous robotic systems remains in its infancy. KAIST’s team, led by Chemistry Professor Choi In-sung, devised a novel cell-based robot capable of autonomous movement without external power sources or mechanical components.
The research focused on yeast cells, which naturally produce ethanol as a byproduct when metabolizing glucose. Using this ethanol, the team engineered a nanometer-thin shell around the yeast cell. They then attached enzymes that break down urea—a metabolic waste product in animals and humans—to the cell surface.
These enzymes act as catalysts, converting the breakdown of urea into propulsion energy, enabling the cells to move autonomously.
Yeast-Powered Cell Robots Offer New Path for Targeted Treatments (Image supported by ChatGPT)
“This is a biocompatible technology powered by biomolecules surrounding the cell,” said Kim Na-young, lead author and a doctoral candidate at KAIST. “It holds potential for precise drug delivery systems inside the human body.”
The study was published online in the June 25 edition of Science Advances, a peer-reviewed journal by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
