Nanomachine Kills Cancer Cells

[BenBurch]

IMPRESSIVE;

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080401095236.htm

ScienceDaily (Apr. 2, 2008) — Researchers from the Nano Machine Center at the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA have developed a novel type of nanomachine that can capture and store anticancer drugs inside tiny pores and release them into cancer cells in response to light.

Known as a "nanoimpeller," the device is the first light-powered nanomachine that operates inside a living cell, a development that has strong implications for cancer treatment.

UCLA researchers reported the synthesis and operation of nanoparticles containing nanoimpellers that can deliver anticancer drugs in the journal Small.

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[Graham Jackman]

IMPRESSIVE;

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080401095236.htm

Interesting, but the problem is still that of ensuring that the drug is delivered mainly to tumour cells and all the tumour cells, some of which may be part of distant metasteses. We already have photosensiting drugs, which are absorbed by tumours and sensitise them to light exposure. Unfortunately, they have a limited utility and in the example, I know of, the patient ultimately dies of metastatic disease.

 

[BenBurch]

This adds a lot to the number of agents you can use in cancer therapy; By controlling the does to just the illuminated area, things much too toxic for systemic infusion can be used.

Plus it is just a first step.

Once you can have controllable valves that react to light, its not far to a system where you have simple logic in the nanomachine to make it react only to coded pulses of light, for example, or, which the addition of chemical sensors, to make the machine volunteer for uptake by cancer cells, and resist uptake by normal cells.

This, finally, is the sort of application Drexler was talking about 20 years ago.