Prof. Sylvain Martel

NanoRobotics Laboratory, Department of Computer and Software Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada

Prof. Sylvain Martel

NanoRobotics Laboratory, Department of Computer and Software Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada

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Academic Career Length

22Years (2005-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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15 August 2016 in Nature Nanotechnology

Journal Article

Magneto-aerotactic bacteria deliver drug-containing nanoliposomes to tumour hypoxic regions

Ouajdi Felfoul

Mahmood Mohammadi

Samira Taherkhani

Dominic de Lanauze

Yong Zhong Xu

Sylvain Martel

+13

1 April 2009 in The International Journal of Robotics Research

Journal Article

Flagellated Magnetotactic Bacteria as Controlled MRI-trackable Propulsion and Steering Systems for Medical Nanorobots Operating in the Human Microvasculature

Sylvain Martel

Mahmood Mohammadi

Ouajdi Felfoul

Zhao Lu

Pierre Pouponneau

Although nanorobots may play critical roles for many applications in the human body, such as targeting tumoral lesions for therapeutic purposes, miniaturization of the power source with an effective onboard controllable propulsion and steering system have prevented the implementation of such mobile robots. Here, we show that the flagellated nanomotors combined with the nanometer-sized magnetosomes of a single magnetotactic bacterium can be used as an effective integrated propulsion and steering system for devices, such as nanorobots, designed for targeting locations only accessible through the smallest capillaries in humans while being visible for tracking and monitoring purposes using modern medical imaging modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging. Through directional and magnetic field intensities, the displacement speeds, directions, and behaviors of swarms of these bacterial actuators can be controlled from an external computer.

8 June 2009 in The International Journal of Robotics Research

Journal Article

MRI-based Medical Nanorobotic Platform for the Control of Magnetic Nanoparticles and Flagellated Bacteria for Target Interventions in Human Capillaries

Sylvain Martel

Ouajdi Felfoul

Jean-Baptiste Mathieu

Arnaud Chanu

Samer Tamaz

Nasr Tabatabaei

Medical nanorobotics exploits nanometer-scale components and phenomena with robotics to provide new medical diagnostic and interventional tools. Here, the architecture and main specifications of a novel medical interventional platform based on nanorobotics and nanomedicine, and suited to target regions inaccessible to catheterization, are described. The robotic platform uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for feeding back information to a controller responsible for the real-time control and navigation along pre-planned paths in the blood vessels of untethered magnetic carriers, nanorobots, and/or magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) loaded with sensory or therapeutic agents acting like a wireless robotic arm, manipulator, or other extensions necessary to perform specific remote tasks. Unlike known magnetic targeting methods, the present platform allows us to reach locations deep in the human body while enhancing targeting efficacy using real-time navigational or trajectory control. We describe several versions of the platform upgraded through additional software and hardware modules allowing enhanced targeting efficacy and operations in very difficult locations such as tumoral lesions only accessible through complex microvasculature networks.