A unique 'transforming nanoparticle' that is known to fight against cancer and other diseases has been developed by the Russian scientists.
Professor Ekaterina Skorb and her team from ITMO University in St. Petersburg created hollow nanoparticles with a covering of polymer filaments and granules of titanium oxide and silver, the Sputnik reported on Friday.
Use of Nanotechnology in Healthcare
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‘The nanoparticles that glow in infrared light can be used in the localized delivery of medicines in cancer and other diseases.’
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When illuminated with an infrared laser, the structure of the nanoparticle collapses from heat and oxygen, which releases the particle's contents.
In the study, published in the journal Bioconjugate Chemistry, the team tested out their nanoparticles on bacteria whose DNA was modified to glow when molecules came into contact with artificial sugars which were injected into the nanoparticles.
![Proton Beam Therapy for Cancer Treatment]( "Proton Beam Therapy for Cancer Treatment")
Proton therapy is a form of radiotherapy for cancer treatment which uses a proton beam that is targeted precisely on the tumor cells, destroying them with minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissue. Proton therapy can treat various types of cancer.
After illuminating these 'nano-grenades' with an infrared laser, the sugars escaped the nanoparticles' membranes, lighting up the bacteria and proving the method's effectiveness.
Importantly, neither the nanoparticles nor their structural collapse affected the viability of the bacteria's cells.
According to Skorb, the ease with which infrared radiation passes through the human body means that the use of such nanoparticles to fight cancerous tumors or various infections will be possible in virtually any part of the body.
"This area of research is interesting not only from the perspective of the localized delivery of medicines, but also for the creation of a computer in which biological molecules can be used instead of silicon chips. This will pave the way for high-precision control of chemical processes, 'smart' medicines and the ability to control molecular machines," Skorb said in a statement from Russian Science Foundation, Sputnik reported.
To create the nanoparticles, the team experimented with photosensitive nanomaterial technology and a chemical 'switch' method to create the nanoparticles.
It consists of titanium dioxide nanoparticles which can split water into hydrogen and oxygen atoms when exposed to light. When placed in a solution of organic compounds, the oxygen produced begins to interact with molecules, changing the acid-base balance.
Source: IANS
Proton Beam Therapy for Cancer Treatment
Proton therapy is a form of radiotherapy for cancer treatment which uses a proton beam that is targeted precisely on the tumor cells, destroying them with minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissue. Proton therapy can treat various types of cancer.
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After illuminating these 'nano-grenades' with an infrared laser, the sugars escaped the nanoparticles' membranes, lighting up the bacteria and proving the method's effectiveness.
Importantly, neither the nanoparticles nor their structural collapse affected the viability of the bacteria's cells.
According to Skorb, the ease with which infrared radiation passes through the human body means that the use of such nanoparticles to fight cancerous tumors or various infections will be possible in virtually any part of the body.
"This area of research is interesting not only from the perspective of the localized delivery of medicines, but also for the creation of a computer in which biological molecules can be used instead of silicon chips. This will pave the way for high-precision control of chemical processes, 'smart' medicines and the ability to control molecular machines," Skorb said in a statement from Russian Science Foundation, Sputnik reported.
To create the nanoparticles, the team experimented with photosensitive nanomaterial technology and a chemical 'switch' method to create the nanoparticles.
It consists of titanium dioxide nanoparticles which can split water into hydrogen and oxygen atoms when exposed to light. When placed in a solution of organic compounds, the oxygen produced begins to interact with molecules, changing the acid-base balance.
Source: IANS
![Prostate Specific Antigen [PSA]](https://www.medindia.net/images/patientinfo/300x250/prostate-specific-antigen.jpg "Prostate Specific Antigen [PSA]")
Prostate Specific Antigen [PSA]
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