ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science → News

Nanomachines destroy cancer by drilling holes into it

Zap the cancer away.

Mihai AndreibyMihai Andrei
September 1, 2017
in Health, News
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

Doctors may someday use fighting nanomachines to puncture cancerous cells and destroy them. These devices are powered by light and spin so fast that they burrow their way through cell linings.

Image credits: Robert Pal/Durham University.

Because cancer is such a complex problem, researchers are trying to take it down from different angles — some more creative than others. Working at Durham University, a team led by Dr. Robert Pal developed motorized molecules that can either deliver drugs or drill holes into specific cells by drilling through their membranes. The key is a paddlelike rotor, a series of three rings of carbon atoms which begin rotating 2 million to 3 million times per second when hit by ultraviolet light. At the same time, the sides of the stator feature arms of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen that stretch out and selectively grip surface of the cell. Without the rotor, the molecules harmlessly attached themselves to the target cells but didn’t do anything else. This approach could also be used for drug delivery.

These nanomachines are so small that you can fit about 50,000 of them in a width of human hair.

Their potential effectiveness was proven in a trial. It took the between one and three minutes to break through the outer membrane of prostate cancer cell, and once they did, the cell was instantly killed.

“We are moving towards realising our ambition to be able to use light-activated nanomachines to target cancer cells such as those in breast tumours and skin melanomas, including those that are resistant to existing chemotherapy.

“Once developed, this approach could provide a potential step change in non-invasive cancer treatment and greatly improve survival rates and patient welfare globally.”

So far, the molecules have only been tested in vitro (lab tests). Next up, researchers want to test them in vivo, on real life creatures. First up: bacteria and fish. So even if everything goes successfully, it will be quite a while before we can talk about human studies.

Journal Reference: Víctor García-López et al — Molecular machines open cell membranes. doi:10.1038/nature23657

 

RelatedPosts

Cervical cancer could be a thing of the past by 2100
A drug to rule them all: fighting all cancers with one drug
Bigger Animals Do Get More Cancer, Overturning a 45-Year-Old Myth. But Exceptions Could Make All The Difference
Scientists inch closer to having a universal cancer blood test
Tags: cancercell

ShareTweetShare
Mihai Andrei

Mihai Andrei

Dr. Andrei Mihai is a geophysicist and founder of ZME Science. He has a Ph.D. in geophysics and archaeology and has completed courses from prestigious universities (with programs ranging from climate and astronomy to chemistry and geology). He is passionate about making research more accessible to everyone and communicating news and features to a broad audience.

Related Posts

An illustration showing reprogrammed immune cells attacking cancer cells.
Diseases

CAR T Breakthrough Therapy Doubles Survival Time for Deadly Stomach Cancer

byRupendra Brahambhatt
21 hours ago
Animals

A Treatment That Helped Dogs Survive Cancer Is Now Being Used on Children

byTudor Tarita
3 weeks ago
A unique eye accessory
Health

Miracle surgery: Doctors remove a hard-to-reach spinal tumor through the eye of a patient

byRupendra Brahambhatt
1 month ago
Biology

Your Cells Can Hear You — And It Could Be Important for Fat Cells

byAlexandra Gerea
2 months ago

Recent news

This Rare Viking Burial of a Woman and Her Dog Shows That Grief and Love Haven’t Changed in a Thousand Years

June 17, 2025

This EV Battery Charges in 18 Seconds and It’s Already Street Legal

June 16, 2025

This new blood test could find cancerous tumors three years before any symptoms

June 16, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.