Targeted Delivery for Nanoparticles

April 10, 2008 | Source: Technology Review

As an alternative to chemotherapy, research groups are developing approaches that use microscopic carriers to deliver a variety of particles–including drugs, molecular tags that target tumors, and imaging agents to monitor and destroy cancer cells.

These microscopic discs, made of porous silicon, can be used to deliver nanoparticles to tumors to treat cancer (University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston)

These microscopic discs, made of porous silicon, can be used to deliver nanoparticles to tumors to treat cancer (University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston)

These microscopic delivery vehicles would evade the body’s defenses and target blood vessels near a tumor, then release their payload.