Fighting Brain Cancer with Nanotechnology

Researchers from Argonne’s Center for Nanoscale Materials are working with doctors from the University of Chicago Brain Tumor Center to develop new nanotechnology in the fight against brain cancer.

Brain cancer is extremely difficult to treat, and most standard treatments that are currently in use are largely ineffective. Chemotherapy, for example, kills cancer cells, but also harms the surrounding cells, which is especially hazardous in areas as sensitive as the brain.

Scientists, however, are working on “nanodiscs” that can cause cell suicide (pictured above). These discs are attached to antibodies that specifically target cancer cells and leave the healthy cells untouched. Once the discs are inside the cells, they are dormant until a magnetic field is applied to them which causes the discs to perform a cell suicide inducing oscillation.

It’s still going to be several years before this technology comes into public trials, but it’s intriguing to see such research being done today.

Source: ScienceDaily