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Friday, 26th June 2009 (5214 views)

Scientists in the US have used nanotechnology to develop containers that can be used to deliver drugs into the bloodstream.

Researchers at Cornell University have conducted a study concluding that the method - which is said to be almost 100 per cent efficient - could be used to treat cancer and other diseases by introducing drugs or genetic material into the body.

Gold is often utilised in the development of such materials and Michael King, associate professor of biomedical engineering at the university, explained that the work "extends the range of therapies" that will be available.

"We can introduce just about any drug or genetic material that can be encapsulated and it is delivered to any circulating cells that are specifically targeted," he explained.

The work of Mr King, who co-authored the report alongside Zhong Huang of the Shenzhen University School of Medicine in China, has been published in the online version of the Gene Therapy journal.

Scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently announced they have used gold in the development of a 'chemical nose' that can detect cancer cells.

 

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