Remotely controlled nanoparticles fight tumors

[Vertigo Acid]

Researchers at MIT have developed a method to remotely control nanoparticles. This is big news for medical science, as it will allow doctors to precisely control the targeting and release of pharmaceuticals. Imagine sending chemotherapy drugs directly to a cluster of cancerous cells, safely destroying them while leaving the surrounding tissue uneffected.

How does this really work — in plain English? “The system that makes it possible consists of tiny particles (billionths of a meter in size) that are superparamagnetic, a property that causes them to give off heat when they are exposed to a magnetic field. Tethered to these particles are active molecules, such as therapeutic drugs." And how these therapeutic drugs are delivered? “Exposing the particles to a low-frequency electromagnetic field causes the particles to radiate heat that, in turn, melts the tethers and releases the drugs. The waves in this magnetic field have frequencies between 350 and 400 kilohertz — the same range as radio waves. These waves pass harmlessly through the body and heat only the nanoparticles.”

 

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Now they need to find ways to detect tumors before metastasis.