Diagnostic and Therapeutic MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) Devices for the Identification and Treatment of Human Disease

Early detection and treatment of disease is paramount for improving human health and wellness. Micro-scale devices promote new opportunities for the rapid, cost-effective, and accurate identification of altered biological states indicative of disease early-onset; these devices function at a scale more sensitive to numerous biological processes. The application of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) in biomedical settings has recently emerged and flourished over course of the last two decades, requiring a deep understanding of material biocompatibility, biosensing sensitively/selectively, biological constraints for artificial tissue/organ replacement, and the regulations in place to ensure device safety. Capitalizing on the inherent physical differences between cancerous and healthy cells, our ultra-thin silicone membrane enables earlier identification of bladder cancer—with a 70% recurrence rate. Building on this breakthrough, we have devised an array to multiplex this sample-analysis in real-time as well as expanding beyond bladder cancer. The introduction of new materials—with novel properties—to augment current and create innovative medical implants requires the careful analysis of material impact on cellular toxicity, mutagenicity, reactivity, and stability. Finally, the achievement of replacing defective biological systems with implanted artificial equivalents that must function within the same biological constraints, have consistent reliability, and ultimately show the promise of improving human health as demonstrated by our hydrogel check valve. The ongoing proliferation, expanding prevalence, and persistent improvement in MEMS devices through greater sensitivity, specificity, and integration with biological processes will undoubtedly bolster medical science with novel MEMS-based diagnostics and therapeutics.