MIRA 2026, a window to medical microrobotics

The event, which brings together more than 80 professionals from the fields of research, clinical practice, engineering, and entrepreneurship  from across the globe, was made possible thanks to the efforts of CIC nanoGUNE and the support of private sponsors and public institutions.

The medical world is currently undergoing a transformation owing to advances in immunotherapies, cell therapies, gene therapies and other cutting-edge therapeutic approaches. These therapies are opening up new possibilities for treating diseases previously deemed untreatable. However, there is still a fundamental challenge: How do we deliver these treatments at the right site, the right time and at the right dose, while minimising adverse effects? 

Over the coming days, the conference will address this issue from various perspectives. It will first take a look at some of the most advanced therapies that are finding their way into clinical practice, in particular immunotherapies and CAR-T cell therapies, which are demonstrating the considerable potential of precision medicine. The conference will then focus on the field of nanomedicine, where designed vectors and materials at nanoscale are helping to improve the delivery and efficacy of the therapeutic agents. Next, it will explore what many consider to be the next frontier: medical microrobotics. These microscopic vehicles, controlled remotely or through local stimuli, not only promise more precise and localised release of drugs, gene therapies and cell therapies, but also open the door to new functionalities, such as performing minimally invasive interventions, detecting and monitoring biomarkers in situ, performing microbiopsies and other high-precision diagnostic and therapeutic tasks. Making these technologies a reality requires the development of biocompatible and biodegradable materials, robust manufacturing processes, adequate sterilisation strategies, cutting-edge imaging and navigation systems, overcoming regulatory challenges and, finally, evidence of their safety and clinical benefit.

The conference will conclude with a series of short presentations and roundtable discussions that will jointly address some of the challenges and opportunities in medical microrobotics. The issues addressed will include the role that this technology could play over the next 5 to 10 years, the clinical applications with the greatest potential to be applied in medical practice, and the main technological, clinical and regulatory obstacles that will need to be overcome. The conference will also look at ways to accelerate the transition from the most promising concepts to the development of technologies capable of efficiently improving patient care. 

According to Ikerbasque professor Mariana Medina Sánchez, leader of the Nanobiosystems research group nanoGUNE and Director of MIRA 2026 “this field requires solid, coordinated and interdisciplinary collaboration that allows the scientific advances and innovative technologies developed in the lab to be transformed into effective solutions for clinical practice.”