Nanomedicine Kills Brain Cancer Cells

destinyland writes "Scientists from the University of Chicago and the US Department of Energy have developed the first nanoparticles that seek out and destroy GMB brain cancer cells. Nanoparticles killed up to 80% of the brain cancer cells after just five minutes of exposure to white light, showing the promise of nanomedicine — highly-specific intervention at the molecular scale. Because nanomedicine could repair brain cells or damaged nerve and muscle tissue, the NIH has established eight Nanomedicine Development Centers around the country for their Nanomedicine Roadmap Initiative. Researchers have also used gold nanospheres to search out and 'cook' skin cancer cells with light — 'It's basically like putting a cancer cell in hot water and boiling it to death,' says one researcher. And the NIH Roadmap ultimately predicts 'novel tiny sensors ... that search for, and destroy, infectious agents.'"

rise of species 000

[mrnick]

"We are Borg. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile."

Side effects

[Tubal-Cain]

Nanoparticles killed up to 80% of the brain cancer cells after just five minutes of exposure to white light

Side effects may include death of 80% of non-cancer cells.

Re:Pro Forma

[gzipped_tar]

Yeah, they're in our brainz killing our cellz. Sorry.

Re:Side effects

[MrMista_B]

Citation please.

Re:Wish

[Trepidity]

It's starting to look more and more like it's going to be my generations plastic.

I, too, look forward to the giant raft of entangled nanoparticles polluting the middle of the Pacific.

Re:Don't expect too much from this treatment

[hofmny]

I don't see the problem really. All you need to do is collide some anti-matter with normal matter, use the energy to warp space time, and use the curvature to bend light particles to the specific areas of the brain.

You such a pessimist :P

Re:Wish

[SydShamino]

It's starting to look more and more like it's going to be my generations plastic.

I, too, look forward to the giant raft of entangled nanoparticles polluting the middle of the Pacific.

You mean entangled nanoparticles like water molecules? They already pollute the WHOLE Pacific.

Re:Side effects

[Chris Burke]

Here you go. [wikipedia.org]

Re:Awesome!

[theMoleofProduction]

Preliminary trials performed on cartoon characters were mostly non-invasive, though results were mixed:

In late 2008, subject W. E. Coyote was admitted suffering from chronic headaches. MRIs of the patient's brain revealed several cancerous growths on surface of the cortex, likely caused by the subject's attempts to induce "X-ray vision" by applying ACME® 3-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner & Radium to his scalp.

Researchers injected Mr. Coyote with the nano solution, then showed him a series of videos featuring a common ground-foraging bird simply running in circles at the top of a tall mesa.

After the videos, Mr. Coyote was presented with "gifts" from various charities: a hang glider, a butterfly net, and a gross of ACME® Brand Long-Distance Bottle Rockets. A moment after opening the last of the gifts, the subject raised one eyebrow, smirked, then clutched his temples and shrieked in pain before falling unconscious. MRI indicated that the glow of the patient's "idea light bulb" had been bright enough to activate the nano-solution. 70% of the tumor mass had been destroyed.

Unfortunately, soon after regaining consciousness the subject disappeared with his gifts, an electric wheelchair, and a half dozen bottles of Oxycontin.

Re:Exploit

[Kratisto]

I've been taught to find this offensive, treasonous, and politically incorrect.

Re:Side effects

[K. S. Kyosuke]

Here [wikipedia.org], is that more serious?