Scientists develop painless biopsy patch thinner than a human hair

Scientists at King’s College London have developed a revolutionary biopsy patch embedded with nanoneedles that are 1,000 times thinner than a human hair, offering a painless, non-invasive alternative to traditional biopsies. Unlike conventional methods that require cutting or removing tissue, this patch gently extracts molecular information such as lipids, proteins, and mRNA directly from living cells without causing pain, scarring, or tissue destruction. This innovation could significantly improve diagnosis and monitoring of diseases like brain cancer and Alzheimer’s by enabling earlier detection and more frequent sampling, which was previously impossible with invasive biopsies. The patch’s development involved a multidisciplinary collaboration across King’s College London, the University of Edinburgh, and Ben Gurion University, combining expertise in nanoengineering, oncology, cell biology, and artificial intelligence. In preclinical studies, the patch successfully collected detailed molecular “fingerprints” from brain cancer tissues, with AI and mass spectrometry analyses providing real-time insights into disease progression and treatment response. The technology promises to