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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Hsiao-Chuan Liu

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Guest Editor

Department of Ophthalmology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
Interests: ultrasound elastography; optical coherence elastography; acoustic tweezers; cell mechanics; tissue mechanics; medical imaging processing

Prof. Dr. K. Kirk Shung

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Guest Editor

Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
Interests: acoustic tweezers; high frequency ultrasonic system; imaging and transducer development; cell mechanics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Acoustic tweezers are a versatile tool that has been developed and broadly applied in a variety of contexts from cell manipulations to genetic engineering during the past two decades. Based on acoustic waves with various frequencies from kHz to hundreds of MHz ranges, the sample can be manipulated with sizes ranging from millimeter scales (e.g., multicellular organisms), to micrometer scales (e.g., leukemia cells, droplets or clusters), to nanometer scales (e.g., extracellular vesicles). Acoustic tweezers can also control cell–cell interactions, measure intercellular force, explore cell mechanical properties, and separate cell types. Compared with optical tweezers, acoustic tweezers can provide larger forces in the nanonewton range with relative safety of the acoustic power, which are similar to that used in ultrasonic imaging for diagnostic applications. This Special Issue seeks to showcase research papers, communications, and review articles that focus on acoustic tweezers in novel methodological developments and various applications in biology and medicine.

We look forward to receiving your submissions!

Dr. Hsiao-Chuan Liu
Prof. Dr. K. Kirk Shung
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Micromachines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

acoustic tweezers in cell mechanics and viscoelastic evaluation
acoustic tweezers in microbiology, drug delivery, and cell-based therapy
acoustic tweezers in cell engineering and genetic engineering
acoustic tweezers in in vivo applications
acoustic tweezers in biological and biomedical applications
acoustic tweezers with microfluidics
high frequency acoustic tweezers
cell sorting, pattering and cell manipulating
cell–cell interaction force measurements
three-dimensional (3D) trapping, particle levitation and its applications
array-based acoustic tweezers
new acoustic tweezer technologies

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 6406 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Acoustic Bubble and Magnetic Actuation-Based Microrobot for Enhanced Multiphase Drug Delivery Efficiency

by Jihyeok Park, Youngkwang Kim, Jinwon Jeong, Deasung Jang, Daegeun Kim and Sangkug Chung

Micromachines 2023, 14(12), 2169; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi14122169 - 29 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1190

Abstract

This paper proposes an acoustic bubble and magnetic actuation-based microrobot for enhancing multiphase drug delivery efficiency. The proposed device can encapsulate multiphase drugs, including liquids, using the two bubbles embedded within the microtube. Additionally, using the magnetic actuation of the loaded magnetic liquid metal, it can deliver drugs to target cells. This study visualized the flow patterns generated by the oscillating bubble within the tube to validate the drug release principle. In addition, to investigate the effect of the oscillation properties of the inner bubble on drug release, the oscillation amplitude of the inner bubble was measured under various experimental variables using a high-speed camera. Subsequently, we designed a microrobot capable of encapsulating bubbles, drugs, and magnetic liquid metal and fabricated it using microfabrication technology based on ultra-precision 3D printing. As a proof of concept, we demonstrated the transport and drug release of the microrobot encapsulating the drug in a Y-shaped channel simulating a blood vessel. The proposed device is anticipated to enhance the efficiency of drug therapy by minimizing drug side effects, reducing drug administration frequency, and improving the stability of the drug within the body. This paper is expected to be applicable not only to targeted drug delivery but also to various biomedical fields, such as minimally invasive surgery and cell manipulation, by effectively delivering multiphase drugs using the simple structure of a microrobot. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Acoustical Tweezers: From Fundamental Research to Applications)

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Review

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22 pages, 44037 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperEditor’s ChoiceReview

Acoustic Actuators for the Manipulation of Micro/Nanorobots: State-of-the-Art and Future Outlooks

by Hiep Xuan Cao, Van Du Nguyen, Jong-Oh Park, Eunpyo Choi and Byungjeon Kang

Micromachines 2024, 15(2), 186; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi15020186 - 26 Jan 2024

Viewed by 1164

Abstract

Compared to other actuating methods, acoustic actuators offer the distinctive capability of the contactless manipulation of small objects, such as microscale and nanoscale robots. Furthermore, they have the ability to penetrate the skin, allowing for the trapping and manipulation of micro/nanorobots that carry therapeutic agents in diverse media. In this review, we summarize the current progress in using acoustic actuators for the manipulation of micro/nanorobots used in various biomedical applications. First, we introduce the actuating method of using acoustic waves to manipulate objects, including the principle of operation and different types of acoustic actuators that are usually employed. Then, applications involving manipulating different types of devices are reviewed, including bubble-based microrobots, bubble-free robots, biohybrid microrobots, and nanorobots. Finally, we discuss the challenges and future perspectives for the development of the field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Acoustical Tweezers: From Fundamental Research to Applications)

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