Conquering Cancer with Implants? Bioengineered Vaccines and Magnetic Nanodiscs Show Promise

Summary posted by Meridian on 12/1/2009
Source: Scientific American
Author: Katherine Harmon

Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, both in the United States, have developed nano-scale magnets made of iron and nickel that can tackle cancer cells internally. These nanodiscs oscillate when introduced to an alternating magnetic field, damaging the membranes of cancer cells in the lab and causing the cells to die. This method relies on neither heat nor mechanical assault, but on oscillation, "...which triggers the programmed cell-death pathway" while "the total energy necessary to accomplish cell death is minute." The researchers published their findings last week in the journal Nature Materials. The article also discusses research conducted at Harvard University, in the U.S., in which a tiny polymer disk, saturated with dendritic cells and antigens that are tuned to go after tumor cells, is implanted in the body to prompt the immune system to attack the invading cells. The article can be viewed online at the link below.

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our team contact us site map	Conquering Cancer with Implants? Bioengineered Vaccines and Magnetic Nanodiscs Show Promise Summary posted by Meridian on 12/1/2009 Source: Scientific American Author: Katherine Harmon Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, both in the United States, have developed nano-scale magnets made of iron and nickel that can tackle cancer cells internally. These nanodiscs oscillate when introduced to an alternating magnetic field, damaging the membranes of cancer cells in the lab and causing the cells to die. This method relies on neither heat nor mechanical assault, but on oscillation, "...which triggers the programmed cell-death pathway" while "the total energy necessary to accomplish cell death is minute." The researchers published their findings last week in the journal Nature Materials. The article also discusses research conducted at Harvard University, in the U.S., in which a tiny polymer disk, saturated with dendritic cells and antigens that are tuned to go after tumor cells, is implanted in the body to prompt the immune system to attack the invading cells. The article can be viewed online at the link below. The original article may still be available at www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=conquering-cancer-with-impl... As tagged by Meridian Institute: Health And Medical: Devices, Diseases Implications: Human Enhancement, Governance Nanomaterials: Metal Nanoparticle Regions: North America Stakeholders: Government, Academia Minerals And Metals: Minerals, Metals Related Forums: Health and Medical Metals and Minerals Governance print format	NDN Home Subscribe Manage Subscription Search News Archives Nanotechnology Quintuples Heating Capacity of Solar Water Heaters -- Renewable Energy Magazine (9/1/2010) Researchers at the University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil, have developed a solar heating system that uses nanotechnology to heat water to five times the temperature of a conventional system, while also permitting the collector surface area to retain up to 98 percent of heat from solar radiation. [More] Pakistan's Science Minister Attacks Funding Cuts -- SciDev.Net (9/1/2010) The Pakistan government has cuts its funds for the Pakistan Ministry of Science and Technology's 2010-2011 budget by almost half, causing the science minister, Muhammad Azam Khan Swati, to criticize his own government. [More] Nanotechnology: Small wonders -- Nature (9/1/2010) This article takes an in-depth look at the United States National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI)'s first 10 years - to find out where the money went and what the initiative plans to do next. [More] Nanotech on Farmers' Fields -- Silicon Nutrition (8/31/2010) A plant nutrition study that addresses nano-sized plant nutrients is now available from the Landbouwkundige Uitgeverij G.C. van den Berg (Veenendaal, The Netherlands). [More] More News... Learn how to include these headlines on your own website by clicking here. Please email us if you require text-only versions of the daily emails.