Nanoparticle News and Research

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In nanotechnology, a particle is defined as a small object that behaves as a whole unit in terms of its transport and properties. It is further classified according to size: in terms of diameter, fine particles cover a range between 100 and 2500 nanometers, while ultrafine particles, on the other hand, are sized between 1 and 100 nanometers.

Ingestion of nanoparticles at typical environmental levels unlikely to cause overt toxicity

Ingestion of commonly encountered nanoparticles at typical environmental levels is unlikely to cause overt toxicity, according to US researchers. Nevertheless there is insufficient evidence to determine whether chronic exposures could lead to subtle alterations in intestinal immune function, protein profiles, or microbial balance.

27 Jun 2013

Study suggests new ways to maximize delivery of RNA strands

Nanoparticles that deliver short strands of RNA offer a way to treat cancer and other diseases by shutting off malfunctioning genes. Although this approach has shown some promise, scientists are still not sure exactly what happens to the nanoparticles once they get inside their target cells.

25 Jun 2013

Sorrento, IGDRASOL to present updates on IG-001 and IG-004 at joint meeting of CLINAM and ETPN

Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. and IGDRASOL announced today that the companies will present updates of their analyses of proprietary late clinical stage paclitaxel formulations, IG-001 (Cynviloq) and IG-004 (TOCOSOL paclitaxel) at the joint meeting of the European Foundation for Clinical Nanomedicine and the European Technology Platform on Nanomedicine in Basel, Switzerland on June 23 - 26.

21 Jun 2013

Bioapplications of nanoparticles: an interview with Dr Catherine Berry, University of Glasgow

These particles are all classed as inorganic particles, which can all be utilised in biomedical applications. They differ in terms of their inherent material and size dependent physiochemical properties, for example, their optical and magnetic properties.

18 Jun 2013

Researchers develop nano-volcanoes that hold promise for new drug-delivery technologies

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a method for creating "nano-volcanoes" by shining various colors of light through a nanoscale "crystal ball" made of a synthetic polymer.

14 Jun 2013

New plug-in optical sensor can help diagnose Kaposi's sarcoma

As antiretroviral drugs that treat HIV have become more commonplace, the incidence of Kaposi's sarcoma, a type of cancer linked to AIDS, has decreased in the United States.

5 Jun 2013

Arcturus Therapeutics closes $1.3 M in seed funding round

Arcturus Therapeutics, Inc., an industry leader in RNAi technologies for the treatment of disease, today announced it has raised $1.3 million in a seed funding round led by multiple high net-worth private investors from the United States and Canada.

3 Jun 2013

Nanoparticle-based immunotherapy for cancer

The German Research Foundation has established a new Collaborative Research Center on "Nanodimensional polymer therapeutics for tumor therapy" (CRC 1066) at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research (MPI-P).

1 Jun 2013

New nanoparticle gene delivery method to prevent stenting procedure complications

Stent angioplasty saves lives, but there often are side effects and complications related to the procedure, such as arterial restenosis and thrombosis. In the June 2013 issue of The FASEB Journal, however, scientists report that they have discovered a new nanoparticle gene delivery method that may overcome current limitations of gene therapy vectors and prevent complications associated with the stenting procedure.

1 Jun 2013

Viral load: A new technique that helps doctors diagnose chronic viral diseases

To test the severity of a viral infection, clinicians try to gauge how many viruses are packed into a certain volume of blood or other bodily fluid. This measurement, called viral load, helps doctors diagnose or monitor chronic viral diseases such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis.

31 May 2013

University of Strathclyde uses new imaging technique to track nanomedicines' effects on patients

A pioneering imaging technique to track the effects of next-generation nanomedicines on patients has been harnessed by a University of Strathclyde academic.

31 May 2013

Spherical nanoparticles transform into netlike structures at site of cancer

Scientists at the University of California, San Diego, have designed tiny spherical particles to float easily through the bloodstream after injection, then assemble into a durable scaffold within diseased tissue. An enzyme produced by a specific type of tumor can trigger the transformation of the spheres into netlike structures that accumulate at the site of a cancer, the team reports in the journal Advanced Materials this week.

29 May 2013

Sorrento Therapeutics, IGDRASOL announce publication of clinical data for Cynviloq and gemcitabine

Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. and IGDRASOL announced today that clinical data for CynviloqTM, a non-biologic nanoparticle formulation of paclitaxel, plus gemcitabine was published for the upcoming Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

28 May 2013

Scientists make important step forward in the quest to develop universal influenza vaccine

A new approach for immunizing against influenza elicited a more potent immune response and broader protection than the currently licensed seasonal influenza vaccines when tested in mice and ferrets.

23 May 2013

Researchers make gold nanoparticles more effective against ovarian cancer cells

Positively charged gold nanoparticles are usually toxic to cells, but cancer cells somehow manage to avoid nanoparticle toxicity. Mayo Clinic researchers found out why and determined how to make the nanoparticles effective against ovarian cancer cells.

22 May 2013

Injectable nanogel can monitor blood-sugar levels, secrete insulin when needed

Injectable nanoparticles developed at MIT may someday eliminate the need for patients with Type 1 diabetes to constantly monitor their blood-sugar levels and inject themselves with insulin.

17 May 2013

Stanford engineers develop new type of nanoscavenger for water purification

Among its many talents, silver is an antibiotic. Titanium dioxide is known to glom on to certain heavy metals and pollutants. Yet other materials do the same for salt. In recent years, environmental engineers have sought to disinfect, depollute, and desalinate contaminated water using nanoscale particles of these active materials. Engineers call them nanoscavengers. The hitch from a technical standpoint is that it is nearly impossible to reclaim the nanoscavengers once in the water.

16 May 2013

Hydrogel scaffolds can help evaluate how engineering nanoparticles interact with cells

A class of water-loving, jelly-like materials with uses ranges ranging from the mundane, such as superabsorbent diaper liners, to the sophisticated, such as soft contact lenses, could be tapped for a new line of serious work: testing the biological effects of nanoparticles now being eyed for a large variety of uses.

16 May 2013

Magic bullet nanomedicine offers potential treatment option for Acute Lung Injury

Researchers at Queen's University Belfast have devised a 'magic bullet' nanomedicine which could become the first effective treatment for Acute Lung Injury or ALI, a condition affecting 20 per cent of all patients in intensive care.

15 May 2013

New technique can lead to effective use of nanoparticles as drug delivery system

A Wayne State University researcher has successfully tested a technique that can lead to more effective use of nanoparticles as a drug delivery system.

8 May 2013