Khaberni - Researchers at New York University Abu Dhabi have developed a new nanotechnology based on light, intended to improve methods for detecting and treating certain types of cancer, offering a more precise and potentially less harmful alternative to traditional treatments, whether chemical, radiation, or surgical.
This new technology is based on photothermal therapy, a therapeutic approach that uses light to generate heat inside cancer cells and destroy them.
The New York University Abu Dhabi team designed biocompatible, biodegradable ultra-small nanoparticles that carry a dye activated by near-infrared radiation waves, heating the particles when exposed to these rays, and primarily damaging the cancer cells, not the healthy cells.
The main challenges of photothermal therapy lie in the stability of the light-responsive dye within the body, and efficiently delivering it to tumors, as many photothermal materials quickly decompose, leaving the bloodstream, or fail to efficiently penetrate cancer cells.
To avoid this, researchers developed nanoparticles made from hydroxyapatite, a component found in bones and teeth, covered with a mix of lipids and polymers, which helps them circulate longer in the bloodstream and conceals them from the immune system, allowing more therapeutic material to reach the tumors.
Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at New York University Abu Dhabi and lead author of the study, Mazen Majzoub, said: "This project combines targeted therapy and imaging in one biocompatible, biodegradable system, and since it addresses the main challenges in delivering therapeutic agents to tumors, this technology has the potential to enhance the precision of cancer treatment."
The results are promising for the potential adoption of nanoparticles as an integrated system for diagnosing and treating cancer, given the safety and efficiency features of photothermal therapy.
