Armies of dust-size, star-shaped metallic “microgrippers” are set loose via an endoscope and spread uniformly into a hollow organ, such as the colon or esophagus, or even hard-to-reach areas like the bile duct. After a few minutes, when the heat-sensitive microgrippers reach a certain temperature, they drift to the walls of the organ and snap shut, each securing a small tissue sample containing valuable diagnostic information. The endoscopist then uses a magnet to collect the microgrippers, still clinging to their payloads.

Florin Selaru of the Division of Gastroentrology and Hepatology and David Gracias of the Whiting School of Engineering have collaborated on the microgrippers, which were the focus of a recent National Institutes of Health research grant. Selaru, Gracias and their teams are refining the microgrippers and performing the final studies the Food and Drug Administration requires before beginning clinical trials.

In the search for cancer, physicians rely on biopsies for two factors: random tissue samples and the ability to visually spot abnormalities. But when diseased tissue is overlooked in random samples or when lesions are too small to see, dangerous cancers can go undetected. Microgrippers offer tissue samples from many more spots and provide a more comprehensive picture of an organ’s cells and genes.

Selaru says the cell-based info the tissue samples yield will be important. But he’s especially enthusiastic about the ability to better identify more of the early genetic markers of cancer.

“In recent years, we’ve seen phenomenal genetic and epigenetic information advances regarding human disease in particular cancers,” he says. “We envision that the statistical sampling performed with the microgrippers, coupled with biologic analyses of various RNA and DNA markers, will revolutionize diagnostics in medicine.”

As seen in the 2016 Biennial Report. Learn more.