Australian Researchers Develop Nanoparticle Technique to Target Cancer Cells

Australian Researchers Develop Nanoparticle Technique to Target Cancer Cells
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Researchers in Australia have reported a promising advance in cancer treatment research involving microscopic metal particles designed to selectively destroy cancer cells while leaving healthy tissue largely unaffected, The Independent reported.

A team from RMIT University in Melbourne said the technology is based on ultra-small particles, known as “nanodots,” which are engineered to exploit the natural vulnerabilities of cancer cells. The approach remains at an early research stage and has so far been tested only on laboratory-grown cells, not in animals or humans.

According to the researchers, cancer cells typically operate under higher levels of internal stress compared to normal cells. The nanodots are designed to intensify this stress just enough to trigger apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in cancer cells, while healthy cells are able to withstand the effect.

The particles are made from molybdenum oxide, a compound derived from molybdenum, a metal commonly used in industrial and electronic applications. By subtly modifying the material’s chemical structure, the researchers enabled it to release reactive oxygen species, which can damage critical components inside cancer cells and lead to their destruction.

Laboratory experiments showed that the nanodots eliminated cervical cancer cells at a rate three times higher than that observed in healthy cells over a 24-hour period. The team noted that the use of a widely available metal oxide could make the technology more affordable and safer than treatments relying on precious or toxic metals. The researchers said future work will focus on increasing tumour-specific activation, initiating animal testing, and developing scalable manufacturing processes.