Kolkata-Born IITian at MIT Develops Injectable Brain Chip That Treats Disease Without Surgery

A Kolkata-born scientist is at the forefront of a medical breakthrough that could fundamentally change how brain diseases are treated, globally.

Dr. Deblina Sarkar, an IIT graduate and Assistant Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has developed a revolutionary technology that can treat neurological disorders without any brain surgery. The innovation, described in Nature Biotechnology and reported by New Atlas, allows doctors to target diseased areas of the brain using nothing more than an injection in the arm.

A New Medical Frontier Built on a Tiny Chip

The platform, named Circulatronics, uses swarms of ultra-small electronic devices called SWEDs (Subcellular Wireless Electronic Devices). These chips are astonishingly small—about one billionth the length of a grain of rice, yet capable of delivering precise electrical stimulation deep inside the brain.

To reach their destination, the chips are fused with monocytes, a type of immune cell. Once injected into the bloodstream, these hybrid bio-electronic cells follow the body’s natural immune pathways, enabling them to cross the blood–brain barrier and locate inflamed or diseased regions.

When activated externally using a near-infrared laser, the devices stimulate highly specific clusters of neurons. In animal studies, the chips successfully implanted themselves in targeted brain regions within 72 hours, activating areas as small as 30 micrometers, a level of precision rarely achieved even with invasive surgery.

Why Circulatronics Could Be a Game Changer

For decades, deep brain stimulation (DBS) has shown promise in treating conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, depression, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, and brain tumors. However, DBS requires drilling into the skull and inserting electrodes, procedures that are expensive, risky, and inaccessible to most patients worldwide.

Speaking at the MIT Media Lab, Dr. Sarkar highlighted the challenge:

“Existing technologies require creating a hole in the skull and inserting a centimeter-scale probe. Because of this invasiveness and the cost of brain surgery, these treatments reach less than one percent of patients.”

Circulatronics aims to eliminate those barriers entirely. According to Dr. Sarkar, the chips can “travel seamlessly through the body without being attacked by the immune system” and “self-implant precisely at the diseased location in the brain.”

Tested on Mice, Designed for Humans

The research team from MIT, Harvard University, and Wellesley College tested the technology by creating small inflamed regions in mouse brains to simulate human neurological disease. Within days, the SWED–monocyte hybrids reached the exact target locations.

Once activated, the mice showed a surge in c-Fos protein, a biological marker that confirms new neuronal activity. Importantly, the chips coexisted with brain tissue without causing damage or toxicity, suggesting strong potential for long-term use in humans.

Beyond the Brain: A Universal Bio-Electronic Courier

The implications of Circulatronics extend far beyond neurology. Dr. Sarkar believes the same platform could one day deliver wireless pacemakers, target cancers in other organs, or act as synthetic electronic neurons.

She has even suggested future non-medical applications, including cognitive enhancement and neural augmentation for healthy individuals—opening conversations around the future of human–machine integration.

The Scientist Behind the Breakthrough

Dr. Deblina Sarkar’s journey began in Kolkata, followed by an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from IIT (ISM) Dhanbad. She later earned her PhD from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she worked on ultra-efficient transistors and biosensors.

After joining MIT as a postdoctoral researcher, she founded the Nano-Cybernetic Biotrek Lab, which blends nanotechnology, electronics, and biology to push the boundaries of human–machine interfaces.

Her accolades include the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award, recognition as one of Science News’ “10 Scientists to Watch”, and multiple honors in nanotechnology and neuroscience.

When Will Patients See This Technology?

According to New Atlas, Circulatronics is expected to enter human trials within the next three years through MIT spin-off Cahira Technologies. While regulatory approvals will take time, the promise is extraordinary, a future where treating deep brain diseases does not require opening the skull.

For Dr. Sarkar, the mission is deeply personal. She often receives emails from patients seeking hope. That urgency drives her work.

“We are very committed to bringing this technology to humans as soon as possible,” she says.

A Proud Moment for Kolkata

From Kolkata to the world’s leading research institutions, Dr. Deblina Sarkar’s work is a powerful reminder of the global impact of talent nurtured in this city.

Kolkata isn’t just creating professionals.
It’s creating pioneers who are reshaping the future of medicine.