MIT researcher Sangeeta N. Bhatia has enlisted a powerful new ally in the fight against cancer: superparamagnetic nanoparticles! They’re tiny, they’re tough, and they target tumors.
“Superparamagnetic” particles release heat in the presence of a magnetic field, and in the Nov. 15 issue of Advanced Materials, Bhatia and her colleagues report success in using the tiny particles to deliver cancer-fighting drugs.
Here’s how they work. The nanoparticles, injected into the bloodstream of the patient, zero in on tumors and clump together. (This innovative and still-experimental searching mechanism was also devised by Bhatia’s team.) Doctors can find the particles—and the tumors—with an MRI.
Continue reading 'Superparamagnetic nanoparticles to the rescue!' >
