Biomagnets For Targeted Cell Destruction
Continuing the targeted anti-cell therapy theme for the day, the BBC looks at the use of magnet-producing bacteria in the role of cell destroyer: "bacteria-produced magnets are better than man-made versions because of their uniform size and shape ... It is hoped one day the magnets could be guided to tumour sites and then activated to destroy cancerous cells. ... They could be guided to the site of a tumour magnetically. Once there, applying an opposite magnetic field would cause the nanomagnets to heat up, destroying cells in the process. They could also potentially be used to carry drugs directly to the cancerous tissue." Great breadth of present initiatives is a key sign of impending progress in any field. The range of potential types of targeted therapy presently explored in the laboratory is broad indeed - bacteria, engineered nanoparticles and viruses, lasers, magnetic fields and combinatory compounds, to name but a few. The more competing methodologies the better, given the importance of this technology to the medicine of the near future.