Archive · 18 Dec 2025
IIT Delhi, AIIMS develop ingestible device for gut microbiome sampling
Scientists from IIT Delhi and AIIMS Delhi have created a tiny pill that can collect bacteria samples from the small intestine.
This is important because these bacteria help us digest food, regulate mood, and build immunity.
Current methods to study these bacteria are either invasive or indirect.
The new device stays closed in the stomach and only opens in the intestine to collect samples, keeping them safe as it moves through the gut.
It has been tested in animals and showed promising results without causing any harm.
Understanding these bacteria could help in early disease detection and better treatments.
The researchers hope to use this technology to help Indian patients in the future.
IIT Delhi and AIIMS Delhi developed an ingestible device to sample bacteria from the small intestine.
The device is a tiny pill that stays closed in the stomach and opens only in the intestine to collect samples.
It has been validated in an animal model and showed promise without causing tissue injury or inflammation.
Understanding the microbes in the small intestine could be key to early disease detection and targeted treatments.
The researchers aim to advance this technology for clinical use in India after necessary approvals.
- Who
- Researchers at IIT Delhi and AIIMS Delhi
- What
- Developed an ingestible device for sampling bacteria from the small intestine
- When
- Not specified (recently announced)
- Where
- India
- Why
- To study the human gut microbiome and its role in health and disease
- Developed by
- IIT Delhi, AIIMS Delhi
- Funded by
- Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
- Device size
- No larger than a grain of rice
- Testing stage
- Validated in animal model
- Potential applications
- Early disease detection, chronic disease monitoring, targeted treatments
- Journal
- Small