Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School have developed photodynamic nanoparticles that can effectively target deep-tissue tumors. The team’s work was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. “This study signals a major step forward in photodynamic therapy by developing a new class of NIR-absorbing biodegradable organic nanoparticles for a highly effective […]
Nanoparticles
Loaded nanocarriers deliver drugs and imaging molecules to tumors
Researchers from the University of Washington developed synthetic nanocarriers to encase chemotherapy drugs and deliver them directly to the tumor site, avoiding healthy tissue. The team’s work was published in the journal Small. The nanocarrier is a hybrid of synthetic materials designed to allow the system to carry drugs and fluorescent particles to stain the tumor for […]
Researchers develop bioresorbable capsule for treating hemophilia
Researchers from the Cockrell School of Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a biodegradable capsule to deliver a protein therapy for hemophilia. The research, published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics, could provide a cheaper, less painful alternative to injections or infusions. The capsule contains micro and nanoparticles which carry a protein […]
Supersonic spray produces nanomaterials for wearable electronics
Researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago and Korea University have developed an ultrathin, highly conductive nanomaterial produced by a supersonic spray, according to the study published in Advanced Functional Materials. The bendable, stretchable film could be used to develop wearable electronics. The film is composed of fused silver nanowires, made by spraying nanowire particles through […]
Nanoparticle “barcodes” help track cancer drug efficacy
Researchers from Technion Institute of Technology in Israel reported on a method of tagging cancer drugs with “barcodes” to monitor tumor growth. The team detailed their methods in a study published in the November issue of Nature Communications. The nanoparticle drug delivery system are tagged with synthetic DNA, which act as barcodes used to track the tumor’s response […]
Acoustic waves used to move fluid through nanoscale channels
Researchers from the University of California San Diego used acoustic waves to move fluids through small channels, marking the 1st time that surface acoustic waves have been used at the nanoscale. The team’s work was published this week in Advanced Functional Materials. The findings are an important step towards manufacturing small, portable devices for drug discovery […]
Light-driven motor powers nanorobot drug delivery system
Researchers proposed a nanosized, light-driven motor that is powerful enough to carry a certain load and possible act as a drug delivery system, according to the study published in the Journal of Chemical Physics. “The unprecedented characteristics of dipole photomotors based on semiconductor nanoclusters offer the prospect of more than just addressing a certain scarcity of […]
Gold nanoparticles target chromosomes in cancer cells
Researchers tagged gold nanoparticles with a small dose of radiation to trace the particles as they deliver a drug into the heart of a cancer cell, according to work presented at the 2016 National Cancer Research Institute conference. A team of researchers from the Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology worked to deliver drugs to the “control […]
Researchers stunt growth of ovarian cancer with nanohydrogels
Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a targeted therapy using nanohydrogels to stunt the growth of ovarian tumors in in vivo tests in mice, according to a new study. The nanohydrogel is a gel pellet that researchers can load with RNA to carry into cancer cells and knock down a particular protein. “The dramatic […]
Droplet ‘taxicabs’ transport nanoparticles into cell
Researchers from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst have developed polymer-stabilized droplet carriers that can identify and engulf nanoparticles to bring them into a cell. The team was inspired by proteins that can recognize microbes or debris and then encapsulate the material to get rid of it. The team believes that this demonstration of surface-to-surface nanoparticle transport, […]
