I-Corps: Laparoscopic Induction Heaters for Biomedical Applications

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The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of miniature induction heaters to heat electrically conductive materials in hard-to-reach places within the human body. The goal is to develop smaller, more focused magnetic field applicators that may be used in patients having metallic implants (e.g., hip replacement implants, stents, etc.) otherwise ineligible to receive current magnetic nanoparticle-based cancer therapies. Additionally, the aim is to enable the development of new medical procedures requiring in situ, non-contact heating of electrically conductive materials in relatively inaccessible places within the human body. This I-Corps project is to explore translation of miniature induction-heating devices for biomedical applications, such as in laparoscopic procedures with the intention of treating intra-peritoneal metastatic cancer such as ovarian cancer using magnetic fluid hyperthermia (MFH). Capabilities include generating an alternating magnetic field of up to 18 kA/m at a frequency of 290kHz. With this field intensity, it is possible to heat a stainless-steel disk to more than 500°C and a suspension of iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles to maximum temperatures ranging from 39°C to 96°C, depending on particle concentration. Translational research includes: a) development of novel magnetic field generators allowing a more localized MFH prostate cancer therapy, b) further exploration of the concept of having miniature induction heaters to heat electrically conductive materials in hard-to-reach places within the human body, c) determining the capabilities of the technology in heating magnetic nanoparticles to kill cancer cells in vitro and d) determining the devices' capabilities in heating magnetic nanoparticles to ablate porcine tissues and estimate severity and extent of tissue damage under different operating conditions.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.