Gas-driven micro/nanomotors in biomedicine: How do these self-powered 'smart missiles' overcome pathological barriers?
image: The image illustrates gas-driven micro/nanomotors (MNMs) and their biomedical applications. These motors utilize chemically generated gases (e.g., CO, H₂, H₂S, O₂, NO, CO₂) as propulsive forces to achieve autonomous motion. They can overcome physiological barriers (e.g., tumor tissue, mucus barriers, blood-brain barrier) for targeted drug delivery and therapeutic gas release.
Credit: Nano Research, Tsinghua University Press
Micro/nanomotors (MNMs) have become a transformative force in biomedical engineering, playing a pivotal role in advancing next-generation drug delivery systems. These tiny propulsion systems are categorized by their actuation mechanisms, with gas-driven MNMs standing out due to their ability to harness chemically generated micro/nano-scale thrust for autonomous motion. By leveraging their dynamic self-propulsion and unique bio-interactive behaviors, gas-driven MNMs can efficiently navigate complex biological barriers, offering groundbreaking therapeutic solutions for cancer treatment, thrombolysis, and targeted drug delivery. This review first examines the fundamental propulsion mechanisms of gas-driven MNMs, then highlights their latest breakthroughs in overcoming physiological obstacles. Finally, it evaluates their future potential and clinical advantages, providing critical insights to drive innovation and accelerate their translation into real-world medical applications.
The team published their review in Nano Research on July 16, 2025.
Gas-Driven Nanomotors Break Barriers in Targeted Disease Therapy
Self-propelled micro/nanomotors harness therapeutic gases to penetrate physiological defenses and deliver drugs with high precision. In a groundbreaking review published in Nano Research, Jinjin Shi's research team has unveiled how gas-driven micro/nanomotors (MNMs) could revolutionize biomedical treatments. These tiny self-propelled devices—smaller than a blood cell—convert endogenous gases like carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H₂), and nitric oxide (NO) into propulsion forces, enabling them to navigate complex biological barriers and deliver drugs directly to diseased sites. Led by researchers from Zhengzhou University, the study highlights MNMs' potential to treat conditions ranging from colorectal cancer to brain tumors by synergizing targeted drug delivery with gas-mediated therapy.
Why This Matters
Traditional drug therapies often fail to reach disease targets due to physiological barriers such as dense tumor tissue, intestinal mucus, or the blood-brain barrier. Gas-driven MNMs overcome these obstacles through autonomous movement powered by chemical reactions. For example:
- CO-propelled nanomotors accumulate in injured kidneys, reducing oxidative stress by 50% and accelerating recovery.
- H₂-driven magnesium motors accelerate bone fracture repair by three times by stimulating osteoblast growth.
- NO-powered nanomotors penetrate blood clots 40% deeper than conventional drugs, dissolving thrombi with 74% efficiency.
“These motors act like 'nano-scalpels'—cutting through barriers while releasing therapeutic gases on-site,” says senior author Zhi-Hao Wang, Researcher at Zhengzhou University’s School of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Future Horizons
While promising, challenges remain. “Fuel sustainability and large-scale production are bottlenecks,” notes researcher Zhi-Hao Wang. The team proposes integrating artificial intelligence to design MNMs that dynamically switch propulsion modes (e.g., magnetic navigation + gas thrust) for adaptive therapy. Clinical translation efforts are underway, with initial focus on gastrointestinal and cardiovascular diseases.
“The synergy between AI and gas-driven MNMs could redefine targeted therapy,” Wang concludes, “but interdisciplinary collaboration is essential to bridge the gap between laboratory breakthroughs and real-world medical applications.”
The research team also includes Qixiang Zhang, Yixuan Wu, Yizhuo Wang, Kaige Zheng, Yifei Hei, Xiaoxue Qi, Xingying Zhu, Zhenzhong Zhang, and Jinjin Shi from the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Zhengzhou University and the Henan Key Laboratory of Targeting Therapy and Diagnosis for Critical Diseases in Zhengzhou, China.
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 82222067, and 82102936), Outstanding Youth Foundation of Henan Province Henan (No. 222300420020), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2023M743232), the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of CPSF under Grant Number (No. GZB20230676), Scientific and Technological Innovation Talent in Central Plains, Key Projects of Advantageous disciplines in Henan Province (No. 222301420011), and Scientific and Technological Project of Henan Province (No. 242102310450).
About Nano Research
Nano Research is a peer-reviewed, open access, international and interdisciplinary research journal, sponsored by Tsinghua University and the Chinese Chemical Society, published by Tsinghua University Press on the platform SciOpen. It publishes original high-quality research and significant review articles on all aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnology, ranging from basic aspects of the science of nanoscale materials to practical applications of such materials. After 18 years of development, it has become one of the most influential academic journals in the nano field. Nano Research has published more than 1,000 papers every year from 2022, with its cumulative count surpassing 7,000 articles. In 2024 InCites Journal Citation Reports, its 2024 IF is 9.0 (8.7, 5 years), and it continues to be the Q1 area among the four subject classifications. Nano Research Award, established by Nano Research together with TUP and Springer Nature in 2013, and Nano Research Young Innovators (NR45) Awards, established by Nano Research in 2018, have become international academic awards with global influence.