Imagine sending medicines in the body as if they were packages in a sprawling metropolis—often late, misdelivered or even damaged en route. That’s been the reality for oral and intravenous treatments, but a new ultra-thin “organ band-aid” from the Chinese mainland could rewrite the rules.
A collaborative team from Beihang University, Peking University and other institutions has developed a paper-thin electronic patch that adheres directly to an organ’s surface. By integrating flexible electronics with micro-nano processing, the patch perforates cell membranes at low voltage, then uses high-strength electric fields in its nano-pores to shuttle drug molecules exactly where they’re needed.
Traditional large-molecule drugs often hit a brick wall at the cell membrane, but this nano-enabled design opens a highway through those cellular gates. And thanks to a wireless power supply, the patch operates without bulky batteries, delivering doses rapidly and precisely.
“It’s like creating a highway for drug delivery,” says Chang Lingqian, professor at Beihang University’s School of Biological and Medical Engineering. Early tests have already shown promise in medical aesthetics and skin trauma repair.
Beyond cosmetics, researchers envision the organ band-aid tackling major health challenges like cancer or internal trauma. Published in Nature on April 30, the findings mark a significant step toward smarter, safer therapies that protect healthy tissues while zeroing in on disease sites.
For young global citizens and tech enthusiasts, this breakthrough highlights how flexible electronics and nanotech are converging to transform medicine—turning science fiction into clinical reality.
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Chinese researchers develop 'organ band-aid' for precise drug delivery
cgtn.com
