Volume 35, Issue 12 e70020
REVIEW ARTICLE

Smart Microneedles in Biomedical Engineering: Harnessing Stimuli-Responsive Polymers for Novel Applications

Farangis Shahi

Farangis Shahi

Department of Chemical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

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Hana Afshar

Hana Afshar

Department of Textile Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

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Elmuez A. Dawi

Elmuez A. Dawi

Department of Mathematics, and Science, College of Humanities and Sciences, Ajman University, Ajman, UAE

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Hossein Ali Khonakdar

Corresponding Author

Hossein Ali Khonakdar

Department of Processing, Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, Tehran, Iran

Correspondence:

Hossein Ali Khonakdar ([email protected])

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First published: 16 December 2024
Citations: 8

Funding: This work was supported by Ajman University (DRGS ref. 2024-IRG-HBS-01).

ABSTRACT

This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of recent advancements in smart microneedles (MNs) within the biomedical field, focusing on the integration of stimuli-responsive polymers for enhanced therapeutic and diagnostic applications. Conventional drug delivery and diagnostic methods are known to face limitations in precision, safety, and patient compliance, which can be addressed by the innovative features of smart MNs. Through the use of various stimuli-responsive polymers, these MNs have been designed to react to environmental or physiological cues, allowing for on-demand drug release, biomarker sensing, and localized therapeutic interventions. Fundamental materials used in the fabrication of these MNs, including metals, polymers, and composite hydrogels, are reviewed, and different categories of stimuli-responsiveness, such as photo, electro, thermal, mechanical, and biochemical, are explored. Application-specific designs of MNs in areas such as drug delivery, cancer therapy, diabetes management, and skin disease treatments are also examined. Through this discussion, it is highlighted that smart MNs are poised to play a significant role in advancing personalized and noninvasive medical treatments.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Data Availability Statement

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study.

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