Most people do not have a great memory about the hospital, and one of the traumatic experiences lodged in our memories is the pain of being stabbed by a needle. Now, however, future children might not have to have those memories, thanks to an innovative invention: the nano-micro DNA needle patches. July 1, 2019. Won Gyu Bae, professor of the Department of Electrical Engineering at Soongsil University, and his research team invented the nano-micro DNA needle patches.
Inspired by the Rear Fang Snake’s small, hidden dogtooth, professor Bae invented this patch. The patch has multiple microneedles that are 50-micrometers in diameter and 300-micrometers in depth. Because of the microscopic size of the needles, human nerve cells do not receive any stimuli; therefore, those who use the patch won’t receive a pain stimulus. On July 17, 2019, professor Bae and the Korean Institute of Machinery and Technology established the company Adm Bioscience. Adm Bioscience is producing 2.4 million nano-micro DNA needle patches every year.
This technology invented in Korea is receiving enormous attention from many organizations such as the FDA, WHO, IVI, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. These organizations and professor Bae are focusing on alleviating the pain for patients who receive injections on a daily basis such as for diabetes patients—one less reason to fear visiting the hospital.
By: Jaeho Ahn