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Last Updated: Nov 18, 2006 - 12:32:53 PM |
Latest Research
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Biotechnology
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Drug Delivery
Using biologically compatible materials to fabricate a nanoshuttle
Researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center report that they have created a way for viral and gold particles to "directly assemble" and potentially seek out and treat disease where it resides in the body. Their study, published in the online early edition of The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) the week of Jan. 23 - 27, 2006, shows the use of biologically compatible materials to fabricate a "nanoshuttle" - thousands of times smaller than a human hair - which can be harnessed to viral particles to precisely home to disease wherever it hides. Once there, the nanoshuttle can perform a variety of functions. The study defines how assembled particles of gold - a metal that is not rejected by the body - could possibly be "tuned" to destroy tissue or emit signals that can be detected by imaging devices. The system also can be adapted to form a flexible scaffold that can carry drugs, genes or even cradle restorative stem cells.
Jan 24, 2006 - 3:51:00 PM
Latest Research
:
Biotechnology
:
Drug Delivery
DNA buckyballs for drug delivery created
DNA isn't just for storing genetic codes any more. Since DNA can polymerize -- linking many molecules together into larger structures -- scientists have been using it as a nanoscale building material, constructing geometric shapes and even working mechanical devices.
Aug 29, 2005 - 10:36:00 PM
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