Antibody-coated carbon nanotubes fight cancer
June 17, 2008 | Source: KurzweilAI
Researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and University of Texas, Dallas have developed a new way to kill cancer cells by coating cancer-seeking antibodies onto carbon nanotubes.
The researchers attached monoclonal antibodies that target specific sites on lymphoma cells (a type of cancer) to carbon nanotubes. When added to cancer cells (in vitro), the antibody-coated nanotubes attached to the cells’ surfaces. When exposed to near-infrared light, the nanotubes heated up, generating enough heat to kill the cells.
