Researcher: Sitti, Metin
Name Variants
Sitti, Metin
Email Address
Birth Date
93 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 10 of 93
Publication Metadata only Magnetically steerable bacterial microrobots moving in 3D biological matrices for stimuli-responsive cargo delivery(American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 2022) Akolpoglu, Mukrime Birgul; Alapan, Yunus; Dogan, Nihal Olcay; Baltaci, Saadet Fatma; Yasa, Oncay; Tural, Gulsen Aybar; N/A; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Sitti, Metin; Faculty Member; Department of Mechanical Engineering; School of Medicine; College of Engineering; 297104Bacterial biohybrids, composed of self-propelling bacteria carrying micro/nanoscale materials, can deliver their payload to specific regions under magnetic control, enabling additional frontiers in minimally invasive medicine. However, current bacterial biohybrid designs lack high-throughput and facile construction with favorable cargoes, thus underperforming in terms of propulsion, payload efficiency, tissue penetration, and spatiotemporal operation. Here, we report magnetically controlled bacterial biohybrids for targeted localization and multistimuliresponsive drug release in three-dimensional (3D) biological matrices. Magnetic nanoparticles and nanoliposomes loaded with photothermal agents and chemotherapeutic molecules were integrated onto Escherichia coil with similar to 90% efficiency. Bacterial biohybrids, outperforming previously reported E. coli-based microrobots, retained their original motility and were able to navigate through biological matrices and colonize tumor spheroids under magnetic fields for on-demand release of the drug molecules by near-infrared stimulus. Our work thus provides a multifunctional microrobotic platform for guided locomotion in 3D biological networks and stimuli-responsive delivery of therapeutics for diverse medical applications.Publication Metadata only Light-driven carbon nitride microswimmers with propulsion in biological and ionic media and responsive on-demand drug delivery(American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 2022) Sridhar, Varun; Podjaski, Filip; Alapan, Yunus; Kroeger, Julia; Grunenberg, Lars; Kishore, Vimal; Lotsch, Bettina, V; N/A; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Sitti, Metin; Faculty Member; Department of Mechanical Engineering; School of Medicine; College of Engineering; 297104We propose two-dimensional poly(heptazine imide) (PHI) carbon nitride microparticles as light-driven microswimmers in various ionic and biological media. Their high-speed (15 to 23 micrometer per second; 9.5 +/- 5.4 body lengths per second) swimming in multicomponent ionic solutions with concentrations up to 5 M and without dedicated fuels is demonstrated, overcoming one of the bottlenecks of previous light-driven microswimmers. Such high ion tolerance is attributed to a favorable interplay between the particle's textural and structural nano porosity and optoionic properties, facilitating ionic interactions in solutions with high salinity. Biocompatibility of these microswimmers is validated by cell viability tests with three different cell lines and primary cells. The nanopores of the swimmers are loaded with a model cancer drug, doxorubicin (DOX), resulting in a high (185%) loading efficiency without passive release. Controlled drug release is reported under different pH conditions and can be triggered on-demand by illumination. Light-triggered, boosted release of DOX and its active degradation products are demonstrated under oxygen-poor conditions using the intrinsic, environmentally sensitive and light-induced charge storage properties of PHI, which could enable future theranostic applications in oxygen deprived tumor regions. These organic PHI microswimmers simultaneously address the current light-driven microswimmer challenges of high ion tolerance, fuel-free high-speed propulsion in biological media, biocompatibility, and controlled on-demand cargo release toward their biomedical, environmental, and other potential applications.Publication Metadata only A realistic simulation environment for mri-based robust control of untethered magnetic robots with intra-operational imaging(IEEE-Inst Electrical Electronics Engineers Inc, 2020) Tiryaki, Mehmet Efe; Erin, Önder; N/A; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Sitti, Metin; Faculty Member; Department of Mechanical Engineering; School of Medicine; College of Engineering; 297104Dual-use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) devices for robot tracking and actuation has transformed them into potential medical robotics platforms for targeted therapies and minimally invasive surgeries. In this letter, we present the dynamic simulations of anMRI-based tracking and actuation scheme, which performs intra-operational imaging while controlling untethered magnetic robots. In our realistic rigid-body simulation, we show that the robot could be controlled with a 1D projection-based position feedback while performing intra-operational echo-planar imaging (EPI). From the simulations, we observe that the velocity estimation error is the main source of the controller instability for low MRI sequence frequencies. To minimize the velocity estimation errors, we constrain the controller gains according to maximum closed-loop rates achievable for different sequence durations. Using the constrained controller in simulations, we confirm that EPI imaging could be introduced to the sequence as an intra-operational imaging method. Although the intro-operational imaging increases the position estimation error to 2.0 mm for a simulated MRI-based position sensing with a 0.6 mm Gaussian noise, it does not cause controller instability up to 128 k-space lines.With the presented approach, continuous physiological images could be acquired during medical operations while a magnetic robot is actuated and tracked inside an MRI device.Publication Metadata only 3D-printed micrometer-scale wireless magnetic cilia with metachronal programmability(American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2023) Zhang, Shuaizhong; Hu, Xinghao; Li, Meng; Bozüyük, Uğur; Zhang, Rongjing; Suadiye, Eylül; Han, Jie; Wang, Fan; Onck, Patrick; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Sitti, Metin; Faculty Member; Department of Mechanical Engineering; College of Engineering; 297104Biological cilia play essential roles in self-propulsion, food capture, and cell transportation by performing coordinated metachronal motions. Experimental studies to emulate the biological cilia metachronal coordination are challenging at the micrometer length scale because of current limitations in fabrication methods and materials. We report on the creation of wirelessly actuated magnetic artificial cilia with biocompatibility and metachronal programmability at the micrometer length scale. Each cilium is fabricated by direct laser printing a silk fibroin hydrogel beam affixed to a hard magnetic FePt Janus microparticle. The 3D-printed cilia show stable actuation performance, high temperature resistance, and high mechanical endurance. Programmable metachronal coordination can be achieved by programming the orientation of the identically magnetized FePt Janus microparticles, which enables the generation of versatile microfluidic patterns. Our platform offers an unprecedented solution to create bioinspired microcilia for programmable microfluidic systems, biomedical engineering, and biocompatible implants.Publication Metadata only Biomedical applications of magnetic levitation(Wiley-V C H Verlag Gmbh, 2022) Alseed, M. Munzer; N/A; N/A; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Dabbagh, Sajjad Rahmani; Saadat, Milad; Sitti, Metin; Taşoğlu, Savaş; PhD Student; PhD Student; Faculty Member; Faculty Member; Department of Mechanical Engineering; KU Arçelik Research Center for Creative Industries (KUAR) / KU Arçelik Yaratıcı Endüstriler Uygulama ve Araştırma Merkezi (KUAR); Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering; Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering; College of Engineering; College of Engineering; N/A; N/A; 297104; 291971Magnetic levitation (MagLev) is a user-friendly, electricity-free, accurate, affordable, and label-free platform for chemical and biological applications owing to its ability to suspend and separate a wide range of diamagnetic materials (e.g., plastics, polymers, cells, and proteins) based on their density. Various MagLev designs (e.g., standard, single and double ring, titled, and rotational MagLev setups) are presented in the literature with a trade-off between sensitivity and detection range. Herein, various MagLev designs, the advantages and pitfalls of each method, and current challenges encountered by MagLev platforms are reviewed. Moreover, end applications of MagLev are presented in single-cell and protein analysis, diseases diagnosis (e.g., cancer and hepatitis C), tissue engineering, 3D self-assembly, and forensic case studies to provide an insight regarding the potentials of MagLev.Publication Metadata only Microrobotics and microorganisms: biohybrid autonomous cellular robots(Annual Reviews, 2019) Alapan, Yunus; Yasa, Oncay; Yigit, Berk; Yasa, I. Ceren; Erkoc, Pelin; N/A; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Sitti, Metin; Faculty Member; Department of Mechanical Engineering; School of Medicine; College of Engineering; 297104Biohybrid microrobots, composed of a living organism integrated with an artificial carrier, offer great advantages for the miniaturization of devices with onboard actuation, sensing, and control functionalities and can perform multiple tasks, including manipulation, cargo delivery, and targeting, at nano- and microscales. Over the past decade, various microorganisms and artificial carriers have been integrated to develop unique biohybrid microrobots that can swim or crawl inside the body, in order to overcome the challenges encountered by the current cargo delivery systems. Here, we first focus on the locomotion mechanisms of microorganisms at the microscale, crucial criteria for the selection of biohybrid microrobot components, and the integration of the selected artificial and biological components using various physical and chemical techniques. We then critically review biohybrid microrobots that have been designed and used to perform specific tasks in vivo. Finally, we discuss key challenges, including fabrication efficiency, swarm manipulation, in vivo imaging, and immunogenicity, that should be overcome before biohybrid microrobots transition to clinical use.Publication Metadata only Designing covalent organic framework-based light-driven microswimmers towards therapeutic applications(Wiley, 2023) Sridhar, Varun; Yıldız, Erdost; Rodríguez-Camargo, Andrés; Lyu, Xianglong; Yao, Liang; Wrede, Paul; Aghakhani, Amirreza; Akolpoglu, Birgul M.; Podjaski, Filip; Lotsch, Bettina V.; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Sitti, Metin; Faculty Member; Department of Mechanical Engineering; College of Engineering; 297104While micromachines with tailored functionalities enable therapeutic applications in biological environments, their controlled motion and targeted drug delivery in biological media require sophisticated designs for practical applications. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), a new generation of crystalline and nanoporous polymers, offer new perspectives for light-driven microswimmers in heterogeneous biological environments including intraocular fluids, thus setting the stage for biomedical applications such as retinal drug delivery. Two different types of COFs, uniformly spherical TABP-PDA-COF sub-micrometer particles and texturally nanoporous, micrometer-sized TpAzo-COF particles are described and compared as light-driven microrobots. They can be used as highly efficient visible-light-driven drug carriers in aqueous ionic and cellular media. Their absorption ranging down to red light enables phototaxis even in deeper and viscous biological media, while the organic nature of COFs ensures their biocompatibility. Their inherently porous structures with ≈2.6 and ≈3.4 nm pores, and large surface areas allow for targeted and efficient drug loading even for insoluble drugs, which can be released on demand. Additionally, indocyanine green (ICG) dye loading in the pores enables photoacoustic imaging, optical coherence tomography, and hyperthermia in operando conditions. This real-time visualization of the drug-loaded COF microswimmers enables unique insights into the action of photoactive porous drug carriers for therapeutic applications.Publication Metadata only Translational prospects of untethered medical microrobots(Iop Publishing Ltd, 2019) Ceylan, Hakan; Yasa, Immihan C.; Hu, Wenqi; N/A; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Sitti, Metin; Kılıç, Uğur; Faculty Member; Undergraduate Student; Department of Mechanical Engineering; School of Medicine; College of Engineering; 297104; N/AUntethered mobile microrobots have the potential to transform medicine radically. Their small size and wireless mobility can enable access to and navigation in confined, small, hard-to-reach, and sensitive inner body sites, where they can provide new ways of minimally invasive interventions and targeted diagnosis and therapy down to the cellular length scales with high precision and repeatability. The exponential recent progress of the field at the preclinical level raises anticipations for their near-future clinical prospects. To pave the way for this transformation to happen, however, the formerly proposed microrobotic system designs need a comprehensive review by including essential aspects that a microrobot needs to function properly and safely in given in vivo conditions of a targeted medical problem. The present review provides a translational perspective on medical microrobotics research with an application-oriented, integrative design approach. The blueprint of a medical microrobot needs to take account of microrobot shape, material composition, manufacturing technique, permeation of biological barriers, deployment strategy, actuation and control methods, medical imaging modality, and the execution of the prescribed medical tasks altogether at the same time. The incorporation of functional information pertaining each such element to the physical design of the microrobot is highly dependent on the specific clinical application scenario. We discuss the complexity of the challenges ahead and the potential directions to overcome them. We also throw light on the potential regulatory aspects of medical microrobots toward their bench-to-bedside translation. Such a multifaceted undertaking entails multidisciplinary involvement of engineers, materials scientists, biologists and medical doctors, and bringing their focus on specific medical problems where microrobots could make a disruptive or radical impact.Publication Metadata only BirdBot achieves energy-efficient gait with minimal control using avian-inspired leg clutching(American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 2022) Badri-Sprowitz, Alexander; Sarvestani, Alborz Aghamaleki; Daley, Monica A.; N/A; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Sitti, Metin; Faculty Member; Department of Mechanical Engineering; School of Medicine; College of Engineering; 297104Designers of legged robots are challenged with creating mechanisms that allow energy-efficient locomotion with robust and minimalistic control. Sources of high energy costs in legged robots include the rapid loading and high forces required to support the robot's mass during stance and the rapid cycling of the leg's state between stance and swing phases. Here, we demonstrate an avian-inspired robot leg design, BirdBot, that challenges the reliance on rapid feedback control for joint coordination and replaces active control with intrinsic, mechanical coupling, reminiscent of a self-engaging and disengaging clutch. A spring tendon network rapidly switches the leg's slack segments into a loadable state at touchdown, distributes load among joints, enables rapid disengagement at toe-off through elastically stored energy, and coordinates swing leg flexion. A bistable joint mediates the spring tendon network's disengagement at the end of stance, powered by stance phase leg angle progression. We show reduced knee-flexing torque to a 10th of what is required for a nonclutching, parallel-elastic leg design with the same kinematics, whereas spring-based compliance extends the leg in stance phase. These mechanisms enable bipedal locomotion with four robot actuators under feedforward control, with high energy efficiency. The robot offers a physical model demonstration of an avian-inspired, multiarticular elastic coupling mechanism that can achieve self-stable, robust, and economic legged locomotion with simple control and no sensory feedback. The proposed design is scalable, allowing the design of large legged robots. BirdBot demonstrates a mechanism for self-engaging and disengaging parallel elastic legs that are contact-triggered by the foot's own lever-arm action.Publication Metadata only Design and development of a Lorentz force-based mri-driven neuroendoscope(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), 2022) Phelan, Martin Francis; Dogan, Nihal Olcay; Lazovic, Jelena; N/A; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Sitti, Metin; Faculty Member; Department of Mechanical Engineering; School of Medicine; College of Engineering; 297104The introduction of neuroendoscopy, microneurosurgery, neuronavigation, and intraoperative imaging for surgical operations has made significant improvements over other traditionally invasive surgical techniques. The integration of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-driven surgical devices with intraoperative imaging and endoscopy can enable further advancements in surgical treatments and outcomes. This work proposes the design and development of an MRI-driven endoscope leveraging the high (3-7 T), external magnetic field of an MR scanner for heat-mitigated steering within the ventricular system of the brain. It also demonstrates the effectiveness of a Lorentz force-based grasper for diseased tissue manipulation and ablation. Feasibility studies show the neuroendoscope can be steered precisely within the lateral ventricle to locate a tumor using both MRI and endoscopic guidance. Results also indicate grasping forces as high as 31 mN are possible and power inputs as low as 0.69 mW can cause cancerous tissue ablation. These findings enable further developments of steerable devices using MR imaging integrated with endoscopic guidance for improved outcomes.