Nanomedicinecenter.com

Nanomedicine kills tumors by knocking out single genes

At the Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, researchers have discovered that nanoparticles combined with two therapeutic molecules, when applied on human skin (a laboratory model) can ease and prevent it’s „dying“ of melanoma, the deadly skin cancer.

The nanoparticles are combined with siRNA molecules and they’re targeting two genes who are responsible for causing melanoma. They can destroy the damaged tissue and leave the healthy tissue intact.

„This method is very selective and targeted.“ says G. Robertson, PhD, who is the head of the researching crew at PSCM. „What really makes this method so special is that we can actually knock out single genes.“

The scientists suspect that siRNA turns off the two genes responsible for causing melanoma, and that way the disease can be treated more effectively.

Of course, delivering the siRNA to the cancer tissue is a complicated process. The skin has protective layers, but even if the drug passes them, the drug gets „destroyed“ by chemicals in the skin. To surpass this, PSCM scientists have developed nanoparticles based on lipids. That way they can pass through the skin without being degraded.

A new book about nanotech risks

Jo Anne Shatkin, the managing director of CLF Ventures, Inc., who has a strong education background, has published a book called „Nanotechnology: Health and Environmental Risks“.

We all know that nanotechnology is useful in so many segments of life. It makes many things easier and more comfortable… but is it completely without risk?

„Many products based on nanotechnology are hitting the market, and I thought a risk analysis can help.“ says Shatkin.

Socks that don’t smell and shiny phones are just drops in the sea of nanotech products. „We really don’t know what the risks are.“ says Shatkin.

The book will be presented by Shatkin herself at the WPI campus at 3PM, November 6th.

Nanotechnology is still not 100% safe

Many researchers believe that more studies and research need to be done in order to ensure the safety of nanomaterials that are used by humans. Unwanted health problems are the last thing scientists want to happen when doing a nanotech / nanomedicine procedure on a patient.

Some people say that nanomaterials aren’t safe, but generalization is of no use here. Each nanomaterial is different. That means that some aren’t dangerous, while some have some „bad“ signs.

There are many things that impact the nanomaterials’ behavior. One of them is how the material is being imported in the organism (mouth, nose or skin).

Testings on zebrafishes are giving a lot of information to scientists and they hope that the whole process will grow in the future and that they will be able to improve the safety.