Patch Containing Millions of Nanoneedles Could Replace Painful Cancer Biopsies

Researchers at King’s College London have developed a patch embedded with millions of microscopic needles that can collect molecular data from tissues without removing or damaging them.

This approach, tested in preclinical settings, may offer an alternative to traditional biopsy procedures which are often painful and invasive.

The research is published in Nature Nanotechnology. 

Minimally-invasive patch samples tissues without causing damage

Biopsies are widely used to diagnose and monitor conditions such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, but the invasive nature of the procedure can deter patients from early testing or follow-up assessments. In addition, because biopsies remove small pieces of tissue, this creates a limit on the number and frequency of tests that can be carried out on organs such as the brain.

The new nanoneedle patch sidesteps this issue by extracting molecular profiles from intact tissues. Because the nanoneedles are 1,000 times thinner than a human hair and do not remove tissue, they cause no pain or damage – making the process less painful for patients compared to standard biopsies.

The approach could also enable healthcare teams to take multiple, repeatable measurements from the same area for continuous or real-time monitoring – something that is not possible with a traditional biopsy approach.

"We have been working on nanoneedles for twelve years, but this is our most exciting development yet. It opens a world of possibilities for people with brain cancer, Alzheimer’s, and for advancing personalised medicine," said lead study author Dr Ciro Chiappini, a senior lecturer in nanomaterials and biointerfaces in the King’s College London Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences.

Capturing molecular fingerprints from live tissue

The device works by pressing tens of millions of nanoneedles against the tissue of interest. These needles extract a "molecular fingerprint" that can be analyzed using mass spectrometry and machine learning algorithms to detect disease signatures.

In preclinical studies, the team applied the patch to brain cancer tissue from human biopsies and mouse models. The patch was able to effectively collect biological "fingerprint" molecules – including lipids, proteins and mRNA – without causing structural harm.

This method enables scientists to monitor disease development and treatment responses at the cellular level over time. 

“This approach provides multidimensional molecular information from different types of cells within the same tissue," Chiappini said. "Traditional biopsies simply cannot do that. And because the process does not destroy the tissue, we can sample the same tissue multiple times, which was previously impossible.”

"It will allow scientists – and eventually clinicians – to study disease in real time like never before," said Chiappini.

The future of nanopatch technology

Once significant advantage of this approach is its speed. According to the researchers, the device could provide results in under 20 minutes. This means that during operations to remove cancerous tissue, for example, such a patch could be deployed to a suspicious area to provide real-time guidance for surgical decision making.

Made using the same common manufacturing methods used for computer chips, the researchers believe that the nanoneedles could also be incorporated into other standard medical tools, such as bandages, endoscopes or contact lenses. This flexibility raises the potential for the technology to be used in multiple clinical settings where traditional biopsies are not practical.

“This could be the beginning of the end for painful biopsies. Our technology opens up new ways to diagnose and monitor disease safely and painlessly – helping doctors and patients make better, faster decisions,” said Chiappini.

While the patch shows promise for non-destructive tissue sampling, the findings are currently limited to preclinical models. Further research will be required to assess its utility in clinical settings, particularly in human trials.

Reference: Gu C, Martella DA, Rose LA, et al. Nanoneedles enable spatiotemporal lipidomics of living tissues. Nat Nanotechnol. 2025. doi: 10.1038/s41565-025-01955-8

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