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Photochemistry creates drug-trapping nanoparticles

Many of the most potent anticancer agents are poorly soluble in water, presenting a challenge for medicinal chemists who must develop methods of delivering these drugs in the watery environment of the human body.

9 Oct 2006

Novel attachment method provides boost to biosensor development

A versatile method for attaching precise amounts of biomolecules and even cells to electrically conductive surfaces could lead to a new generation of nanoscale biosensors with broad applicability in cancer diagnostics and basic research.

9 Oct 2006

Nanoparticle encapsulation improves bioavailability of leukemia drug

Busulfan, which belongs to a family of drugs known as alkylating agents, is used to treat hematological malignancies, including chronic myelogenous leukemia.

9 Oct 2006

Simultaneous synthesis and screening in a microfluidics device

In the quest for new methods to synthesize large numbers of drug leads, medicinal chemists are increasingly turning to microfluidics as a means of performing dozens of chemical reactions using minute quantities of chemical reagents.

From Siemens Healthineers 2 Oct 2006

Key parameters for encapsulating drugs in nanoparticles

One of the early, successful uses of nanoparticles has been to develop delivery vehicles capable of ferrying large amounts of water-insoluble drugs to tumors.

2 Oct 2006

Temperature-sensitive nanoparticle boosts drug antitumor activity

Using temperature-sensitive, lipid- and polymer-based nanoparticles with a polymer coating, researchers in Korea have created an anticancer drug delivery vehicle that may provide a significant boost to the therapeutic efficacy of anticancer agents, particularly when used in conjunction with hyperthermia.

2 Oct 2006

Smart nanoscale bioreactors for drug delivery

In a powerful demonstration of how to build a multifunctional, smart nanoscale drug delivery system, researchers at the University of Basel have created a drug-loaded nanocontainer that targets specific cells and releases its payload when receiving a specific physiological signal.

2 Oct 2006

In vitro assessment of transferrin-conjugated liposomes as drug delivery systems for inhalation therapy of lung cancer

Investigators developing an inhalable nanoparticle for treating lung cancer have shown that a surface molecule found on malignant lung cells can serve as an effective target for improving drug delivery.

25 Sep 2006

Multispectral imaging of clinically relevant cellular targets in tonsil and lymphoid tissue using semiconductor quantum dots

When pathologists examine tissue samples in order to diagnose cancer of the lymphatic system, they examine the relative amounts of a group of proteins known as Cluster of Differentiation markers.

25 Sep 2006

Electrochemical fabrication of conducting polymer nanowires in an integrated microfluidic system

There seems to be little doubt among cancer researchers that new detection systems using nanowires and microfluidics hold the promise of providing a quantum leap in the detection of cancer-related molecules and genes.

25 Sep 2006

Carbon nanotube amplification strategies for highly sensitive immunodetection of cancer biomarkers

In an attempt to increase the sensitivity of cancer biomarker detection and to decrease the need for large samples from which to detect those molecules, a multi-institutional research team has shown that a "forest" of single-walled carbon nanotubes can be used to detect lower levels of the prostate specific antigen (PSA) than is possible using the current commercial assay.

25 Sep 2006

Nanocantilever biosensors detect multiple genes

Using nanoscale cantilevers in a microfluidics device, a team of European researchers has developed a portable biosensor capable of detecting specific genetic sequences.

19 Sep 2006

Detecting cancer with silica nanoparticles

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha is a widely accepted biomarker for cancer, but the minute amounts of this protein circulating in blood makes detecting the molecule and measuring its concentration accurately a technological challenge.

19 Sep 2006

Cell detachment model for an antibody-based microfluidic cancer screening system

In the quest to detect more types of cancers at ever earlier stages, researchers have been stymied by a lack of cell surface markers that distinguish in a clear-cut manner between healthy and malignant cells.

19 Sep 2006

Cisplatin nanoliposomes for cancer therapy

Cisplatin is one of the most powerful and effective drugs for treating a wide variety of cancers, but many tumors develop resistance to this drug, ultimately limiting its benefits for cancer patients.

19 Sep 2006

Could quantum dots hold the cure to cancer?

Review of quantum dot technologies for cancer detection and treatment.

13 Sep 2006

Nanocantilevers as future disease detectors

Researchers at Purdue University have made a discovery about the behavior of tiny structures called nanocantilevers that could be crucial in designing a new class of ultra-small sensors for detecting viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens.

12 Sep 2006

Synthetic low-density lipoprotein-like nanoparticles target brain tumors

Low-density lipoprotein, better known as LDL, is one of the chief villains involved in the development of coronary artery disease.

12 Sep 2006

New screening method shows how nanoparticles interact with human cells

Scientists at the Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a screening method to examine how newly made nanoparticles interact with human cells following exposure for various times and doses. Using this new method, the investigators have been able to visualize how human cells interact with some specific types of carbon nanoparticles.

12 Sep 2006