LUCID: An implant as thin as cardstock uses ultrasound to push brain tumor drugs farther

MIT researchers have designed an implantable device that pairs a slow-release drug reservoir with tiny ultrasound transducers, aiming to help prevent glioblastoma from coming back after surgery. The ultrasound helps drugs spread farther through brain tissue and bypass the blood-brain barrier. Patients with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain tumor, usually undergo surgery, but it is hard to remove every cancer cell and the tumor often returns. Just over 10,000 cases are diagnosed in the United States each year, and patients survive 12 to 15 months on average after diagnosis. What is LUCID implant? The device is called LUCID, short for Long-term Ultrasound-enhanced Convective Injection Device. It is a flexible implant as thin as a sheet of cardstock, with a drug-delivery cannula 3D-printed directly onto an array of 24 miniature ultrasound transducers. The transducers generate ultrasound waves right at the tip of the needle, helping drug molecules diffuse farther into tissue after release. Doctors could implant the device during surgery and let it gradually release drugs to kill remaining tumor cells. The implant’s reservoir holds about 100 microliters of fluid, and a passive osmotic pump supplies the infusion. Ultrasound is controlled wirelessly over Bluetooth, which lets doctors program exact ultrasound doses after implantation. A small battery can be recharged wirelessly. Why ultrasound helps Existing implanted wafers and hydrogels work by passive diffusion of drugs, so the MIT team wanted more control over release timing. Previous research shows ultrasound creates convective flows that carry drug molecules longer distances. Its mechanical oscillations also temporarily make the blood-brain barrier more permeable. LUCID builds on earlier work from the lab of Canan Dagdeviren, an associate professor of media arts and sciences at MIT and senior author of the study. Her lab previously designed a cannula about as thin as a human hair for delivering drugs to the brain. It also built ImPULS, an implant that uses tiny ultrasound transducers for deep brain stimulation. Gel and mouse tests In a tissue phantom, a gel-like material engineered to mimic human tissue, ultrasound-aided delivery spread drug molecules much farther than delivery without ultrasound. In mice, the researchers used the device to deliver an MRI contrast agent. When the ultrasound array was active, the contrast agent spread farther through the brain than when it was off. Enhancing distribution locally and programmably with ultrasound could reduce systemic toxicity in nontarget organs, said graduate student Sarah Ornellas, a lead author. It would also give therapies a better chance of reaching tumor cells within the affected area. Beyond brain tumors If developed for patients, the cannula and ultrasound array would sit inside the skull, while the part holding the battery and electronics could stay outside it. The technology could also deliver immunotherapies or nucleic acids, including gene therapies, and might work in organs other than the brain. Dagdeviren said the team started with the brain as a follow-up to ImPULS, but the approach could eventually treat other soft tissues and deep body tissue. She said the work shows the team can “make any kind of payload be distributed in a better way.” The study’s lead authors are MIT graduate student Sarah Ornellas and Jason Hou PhD ‘26. The work was funded by the MIT Media Lab Consortium and the National Institutes of Health. The paper is titled “Long-term ultrasound-enhanced convective injection device for neural drug delivery.” The results were first published in the journal Device.Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.With over 12 years of experience in the editorial landscape, Munis Raza is a seasoned content manager who has managed content for global brands including Microsoft, The Indian Express, and Alibaba. From managing multi-market news operations for MSN.com to developing future-ready Computer Science textbooks covering modern topics like Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, his expertise spans the digital spectrum. He draws on a diverse educational background that includes a Master’s in Mass Communication and a foundational degree in Commerce. When not in the newsroom, Munis is often out on the streets with his camera, capturing the perfect portrait or settling in to watch a thought-provoking film.