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Fluorescent 'barcodes' called nanostrings could revolutionise diagnostics

A new technology with research and clinical application including the early detection of disease has been invented and developed by University of Queensland researchers.

From NanoString Technologies 22 May 2008

Nanoworms target tumors

By linking strings of spherical iron oxide nanoparticles and coating the resulting construct with a biocompatible polymer, a multi-institutional research team has created "nanoworms" that can better target tumors and produce stronger magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signals than their component nanoparticles. The nanoworms also appear to be a promising vehicle for carrying anticancer drugs into tumors. The researchers published their work in the journal Advanced Materials.

20 May 2008

Dendrimers improve imaging with magnetic nanoparticles

Dendrimers are spherical polymer nanoparticles that have shown promise as targeted anticancer drug delivery vehicles. Iron oxide nanoparticles have already demonstrated the ability to image tumors and metastatic lesions.

20 May 2008

Mass-producing tunable magnetic nanoparticles

Taking a cue from the semiconductor industry, a team of investigators at Stanford University has developed a method of producing unlimited quantities of highly magnetic nanoparticles suitable for use as magnetic resonance tumor imaging agents.

20 May 2008

Nanoparticle-induced heating boosts antitumor radiation therapy

Radiation therapy is a time-honored and effective component of modern cancer therapy, but its ultimate utility is limited by the fact that some cancer cells are resistant to ionizing radiation.

20 May 2008

Multifunctional nanoparticles image, target, and treat tumors

Encapsulating magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles within a silica shell has yielded a new multifunctional nanoparticle that has the potential to image, target, and treat tumors with water-insoluble anticancer drugs. A report of this work appears in the journal ACS Nano.

20 May 2008

Chip-based device measures drug resistance in tumor cells

Multiple drug resistance is a major cause of anticancer therapy failure. Most drug-resistance cancer cells develop this unfortunate characteristic due to a drug-pumping protein known as P-glycoprotein.

20 May 2008

Nuclear radiation-blocking, anti-chemical, biological-protection fabric granted Australian patent

Ronald DeMeo, MD, MBA, president and chief executive officer with Radiation Shield Technologies (RST), today announced the company has been granted a new Australian patent for Demron, the world's first nuclear radiation-blocking, anti-chemical and biological-protection material.

6 May 2008

Clockwork PCR including sample prep

Analysis and diagnosis in a chip format are coming of age, but their practical application has been limited because until now, the sample usually had to be prepared separately and on a nonminiaturized scale.

6 May 2008

Miniscule closed containers for precise delivery of nano-quantities of drugs

Researchers at the USC Information Sciences Institute have demonstrated a way to manufacture miniscule closed containers that might be used to deliver precise micro- or even nano-quantities of drugs.

29 Apr 2008

Making GNA for nanotechnology

In the rapid and fast-growing world of nanotechnology, researchers are continually on the lookout for new building blocks to push innovation and discovery to scales much smaller than the tiniest speck of dust.

29 Apr 2008

Second annual Johns Hopkins NanoBio Symposium to focus on cancer

An estimated 600 experts on nanobiotechnology-a science that develops tools and machinery at the scale of one-billionth of a meter-are expected to attend the second annual Johns Hopkins NanoBio Symposium, May 1-2, 2008.

22 Apr 2008

Simple saliva test gives speedy heart attack diagnosis

Scientists in the U.S. have developed a simple saliva test which will quickly show if a person is having or about to have a heart attack.

22 Apr 2008

US lags Europe in highly relevant nano risk research

A new analysis by the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) indicates that European nations are investing nearly twice as much as the U.S. in research primarily aimed at addressing the potential risks of nanotechnology.

21 Apr 2008

Fluorine-based nanoparticles on track to improve cancer detection and therapy

Perfluorocarbons, a class of inert, oily polymers, have a proven track record in a variety of clinical uses, including in contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging and in eye surgery to correct a detached retina.

18 Apr 2008

Nanoparticles provide detailed view inside living animals

Using nanoparticles designed specifically to produce a bright Raman spectroscopic signal, a team of investigators at the Center for Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence Focused on Therapy Response (Stanford CCNE) has shown that it can produce whole-body images in small animals that can reveal the location of tumors and track how these nanoparticles traffic through the body.

18 Apr 2008

Quantum rods light up pancreatic cancer cells

Quantum dots have shown promise as ultrabright contrast agents for use in a variety of cancer imaging studies. Now, a team of investigators at the Multifunctional Nanoparticles in Diagnosis and Therapy of Pancreatic Cancer Platform Partnership, headed by Paras Prasad, Ph.D., of the State University of New York at Buffalo, has shown that quantum rods may perform even better than their spherical cousins.

18 Apr 2008