Programme 1: Endoluminal Multiscale Robotic Platforms for Diagnostics and Therapeutics

Over the past two decades, novel technological developments have broadened the horizon of therapeutic endoscopy. From researches at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the MRC research team established endoscopic treatment to replace surgery as the primary treatment of bleeding peptic ulcers, and pioneered endoscopic resection with the technique of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for treatment of early GI cancers. While ESD was shown to achieve similar oncological clearance compared to conventional surgery, the performance of ESD is technically challenging. The concept of Natural Orifices Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES) further challenged the performance of conventional flexible endoscope and triggered researches on redesigning the endoscope and therapeutic tools. In this regard, the MRC research team first developed a prototype endoscopic suturing device – Eagle Claw, which was preclinically proven to be safe and effective in achieving hemostasis for massively bleeding ulcers and gastrotomy closure. To date, the team has already developed a prototype robotic arm capable of completing ESD procedures including tissue retraction and dissection through preclinical live animal studies.