Scientists from two Scottish universities are working on a new method for delivering cancer treatments using highly focused light.
Researchers from the universities of Dundee and St Andrews have won a £2 million research grant to develop new, non-invasive surgical techniques using ultrasound and laser technology which could be applied within the context of cancer and gene therapies.
The team is using very highly concentrated light beams to move individual cells.
Termed 'optical tweeing' the focused light can act like a miniaturised hand which can grad tiny objects such as individual cells and move them to other locations
Dr Paul Campbell, at the University of Dundee, said, "The over-riding objective for this project is to revolutionise the activation and delivery of genes, drugs and therapeutic molecules into live biological materials.
"Developing a means to controllably deliver drugs at remote anatomical sites, yet in a very non-invasive fashion."
© Adfero Ltd
Researchers from the universities of Dundee and St Andrews have won a £2 million research grant to develop new, non-invasive surgical techniques using ultrasound and laser technology which could be applied within the context of cancer and gene therapies.
The team is using very highly concentrated light beams to move individual cells.
Termed 'optical tweeing' the focused light can act like a miniaturised hand which can grad tiny objects such as individual cells and move them to other locations
Dr Paul Campbell, at the University of Dundee, said, "The over-riding objective for this project is to revolutionise the activation and delivery of genes, drugs and therapeutic molecules into live biological materials.
"Developing a means to controllably deliver drugs at remote anatomical sites, yet in a very non-invasive fashion."
© Adfero Ltd
Cancer treatment news : 14/08/2006
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