X- RAY TRIGGERED TINY BUBBLES CAN TARGET CANCER DISEASE

Melbourne, July 16: Scientists have developed drug filled nano- bubbles that can be triggered in the body by standard Xrays and may pave the way for a new range of cancer treatments.

The tiny bubbles, known as liposomes, are commonly used in pharmacology to encapsulate drugs, making them more effective in the treatment of disease.

Researchers have now been able to engineer these liposomes to discharge their drug cargo on- demand, once activated by standard X- rays. Initial testing has shown this technique to be highly efficient in killing bowel cancer cells.

“The development and application of various nanomaterial designs for drug delivery is currently a key focus area in nanomedicine,” said Wei Deng, who was a scientist at Macquarie University in Australia.

“Liposomes are already well established as an extremely effective drugdelivery system,” said Deng.

“Made out of similar material as cell membranes, these ‘ bubbles’ are relatively simple to prepare, can be filled with medications and then injected into specific parts,” she said.

“The issue however, is in controlling the timely release of the drug from the liposome. We have ensured that the liposomes release their drug pay- load at exactly the right time and in exactly the right place to ensure the most effective treatment,” said Deng.

“One way of doing this is to trigger the collapse of the liposome when and where it is needed. Our Xray triggerable liposomes allow this on- demand drug- release to occur,” she said.