Researchers develop nano-sized ‘cargo ships’ to target and destroy tumors

September 12, 2008 | Source: PhysOrg.com

UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara and MIT scientists have developed smart tumor-targeting nanodevices that integrate therapeutic and diagnostic functions and travel in the bloodstream, avoiding rapid removal by the body’s natural immune system.

(Ji-Ho Park, UCSD)

(Ji-Ho Park, UCSD)

The 50-nanometer-diameter devices carry the anti-cancer drug doxorubicin along with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (for MRI contrast enhancement) and fluorescent quantum dots (for fluorescence imaging during an operation), surrounded by a biocompatible lipid shell with tetered F3 protein molecules that adhere to cancer cells.

The researchers are now developing ways to chemically treat the exteriors of the devices with specific recognition molecules that will allow them to be delivered to specific tumors, organs and other sites in the body.