Radiofrequency Electrical Membrane Breakdown for Cancer Immunotherapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tissue ablation methods, such as thermal and non-thermal ablation, face limitations in sparing healthy tissue and inducing a specific immune response, as they either denature cellular proteins or lack the ability to trigger a supplemental immune response effectively.
Innovation Solution
The method employs Electrical Membrane Breakdown (EMB) using an external oscillating electric field to rupture cell membranes, exposing intracellular and membrane proteins to the immune system without denaturing them, allowing for immediate cell death and immunologic response modulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If thermal ablation methods are used to destroy cancerous tissue, then cell death is achieved through protein coagulation, but cellular proteins are denatured and unavailable to stimulate immune response
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of cell destruction from thermal (heat-based) to electrical (electroporation-based). By applying high-voltage electrical pulses instead of heat, the method achieves cell membrane rupture and cell death while preserving protein structure and immunogenicity. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by decoupling cell death effectiveness from protein denaturation.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If cryoablation is used to kill cells by freezing, then cell membrane rupture occurs without protein denaturation, but the ability to spare normal structures is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies electrical fields locally to the tumor tissue through inserted electrodes, creating a highly localized treatment zone. The electrical pulses affect only cells in the immediate vicinity of the electrodes, allowing precise control over which tissue is ablated. This local application resolves the contradiction by enabling protein preservation while minimizing collateral injury through spatial selectivity.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If high voltage electrical pulses are applied to achieve electroporation, then cell membrane permeability increases, but complete membrane breakdown and immediate cell death are not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs multiple sequential electrical pulses delivered in bursts with brief intervals between them. This periodic application of electrical stress accumulates damage to the cell membrane over time, eventually causing complete breakdown rather than just temporary permeability. The repeated pulsing resolves the contradiction by transforming partial electroporation into total membrane failure and immediate cell death.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
EMB achieves immediate and visually observable tissue change, enabling real-time verification of treatment efficacy and potential immune response enhancement with immunologic agents, while minimizing thermal damage and sparing sensitive tissue structures.
Implementation Method 1
application of an external oscillating electric field causes vibration and flexing of the cell membrane which results in a dramatic and immediate mechanical tearing or rupturing of the cell membrane
Implementation Method 2
The oscillating electric field induces an oscillating and flexing force on the cellular membrane due to charge accumulation and force reversal
Data Source
AI summary
A method of non-thermally ablating undesirable tissue in the body by application of pulsed, bipolar, instant charge reversal electrical fields of sufficient energy to cause complete and immediate cell membrane rupture and destruction. Energy is delivered through radio frequency pulses of particular frequencies, wave characteristics, pulse widths and pulse numbers, such that enhanced physical stresses are placed on the cell membrane to cause its immediate and complete destruction thereby spilling the entire cell content and membrane constituents into, the extracellular space without denaturing proteins so as to enable an immuno-logical response to destroy and remove the target tissue and similarly marked tissue elsewhere in the subject.