Nano-worms made of rust may help treat tumours

Washington, December 9 (ANI): An American study suggests that nano-scale worms made out of rust may be the next big breakthrough in cancer treatment.

Dr. Erkki Ruoslahti of the Burnham Institute for Medical Research has found that iron oxide nanoworms can bind to tumours when coated with tumour-homing peptides.

He worked on this project in collaboration with researchers from the University of California, San Diego, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The researchers are presently trying to develop nanoparticles that will seek out tumours in the body, send a diagnostic signal, and release a drug at the site of the tumour in a controlled manner. (ANI)