https://phys.org/nanotech-news/bio-medicine/ en-us The latest science news on nanobiology, nano medicine, nanotechnology, nanoscience, and nanotech. A research team in Japan has developed an efficient, minimally invasive cancer detection device that uses high-performance zinc oxide nanowires to selectively capture extracellular vesicles (EVs) from bodily fluids. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-nanowire-device-rapid-noninvasive-cancer.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 11 Jun 2026 12:20:05 EDT news700394683 DNA is composed of long chains that act as the blueprint for living organisms. In genetic engineering, scientists cut DNA at specific sites and join the resulting fragments to other DNA sequences, enabling applications such as advanced crop breeding, treatment of genetic diseases, and the generation of animal models for drug discovery. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-silver-nanoparticles-pave-precise-dna.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 10 Jun 2026 20:10:01 EDT news700303802 New research co-led by Indiana University School of Medicine scientists presents a significant step toward more precise and effective cancer treatments by using a breakthrough method to deliver therapies directly to cancer cells. The study was recently published in ACS Nano. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-antibody-nanoparticles-blood-cancer-cells.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 10 Jun 2026 18:50:01 EDT news700328641 Conventional cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, often lack specificity and can damage both cancerous and healthy cells, leading to severe side effects. With this in mind, researchers at Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) have developed DNA nanostructures called tetrahedrons and modified them by attaching a vitamin E-derived molecule called alpha-tocopherol succinate (αT), which can disrupt vital functions inside cancer cells while acting protectively in healthy cells. By incorporating αT into the DNA tetrahedrons, the researchers significantly enhanced cellular uptake and improved anticancer efficacy, resulting in more selective and effective elimination of cancer cells. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-dna-tetrahedrons-sharper-cancer-vitamin.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 10 Jun 2026 14:20:02 EDT news700311361 Inside every human cell, a tiny structure called a lysosome acts like a recycling center, breaking down toxic waste, clearing damaged proteins and helping keep the cell functioning properly. When that recycling center stops working because the lysosome loses the acidic conditions it needs to function, the consequences ripple outward. Waste builds up, proteins accumulate and eventually the cell's internal systems begin to break down. This type of dysfunction is commonly associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-acidic-nanoparticles-parkinson-cellular-source.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 10 Jun 2026 11:20:04 EDT news700305361 Aeron Tynes Hammack, a physicist by training and currently interim facility director of the Nanofabrication Facility at the Molecular Foundry, likes to work with nanoscale objects to better understand the world and solve problems—but he doesn't restrict himself to one category of tiny stuff. He helps develop qubits for quantum computers and viral therapies to combat infectious diseases. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-qa-combating-antibiotic-resistance-nanotechnology.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 09 Jun 2026 18:20:06 EDT news700241042 MIT researchers have demonstrated a low-cost design for specialized electronic nozzles, called triaxial electrospray emitters, that could be used to manufacture time-release drug-delivery particles or self-healing materials efficiently and at scale. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-3d-nozzle-array-production-drug.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 09 Jun 2026 12:20:05 EDT news700222923 What do iron, lead and nickel have in common? These heavy metals are an indispensable part of many industries. However, they also share a dark reality: They are serious environmental and public health threats. Every day, they find their way into the atmosphere and water bodies through industrial activities, mining and urban waste. Heavy metals are highly toxic, do not break down naturally and tend to build up in the tissues of living organisms over time. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-medicinal-yield-carbon-nanoparticles-red.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 08 Jun 2026 16:50:01 EDT news700154762 The fixed idea that DNA is only a molecule that stores genetic information is being challenged. KAIST researchers have developed a technology that controls the chemical environment around catalysts at the nanometer scale by designing DNA sequences—the arrangement of A, T, G and C that make up genetic information. The team has presented a new catalyst platform that can improve hydrogen production efficiency and increase the yield of desired chemical products by designing DNA much like writing a computer program. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-dna-nanometer-scale-catalyst-cleaner.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 08 Jun 2026 16:10:06 EDT news700152361 Imagine a future where cancer treatment affects only the tumor, where eye injections are no longer required and brain surgeries don't result in large incisions or long recovery times. That's the future researchers at Michigan State University are working toward. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-hair-size-microrobots-combine-cancer.html Bio & Medicine Sat, 06 Jun 2026 11:00:03 EDT news699627985 From chewing to chomping to grinding, teeth suffer from a lifetime of repeated mechanical stress. It makes sense, then, that enamel is one of the hardest natural materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-molecular-picture-tooth-enamel-reveals.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 03 Jun 2026 11:00:17 EDT news699278641 A research collaboration has developed a novel fluorescent nanosensor capable of rapidly detecting indole-3-propionic acid (IPA), an emerging biomarker linked to gut health and disease. The breakthrough is described in the team's paper, "Fluorescent Nanosensor for Indole-3-Propionic Acid Detection in Gut Health Monitoring," published in the journal Advanced Healthcare Materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-fluorescent-nanosensor-key-gut-biomarker.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 02 Jun 2026 15:00:04 EDT news699618901 Spinal cord injuries can have devastating consequences for those affected. Nerve cells in the spinal cord rarely regenerate naturally, while scarring often prevents the regrowth of nerve fibers. Modern therapies attempt to influence implanted stem cells using electrical stimulation to promote the growth of new nerve cells. This approach has several drawbacks: it requires implanted electrodes, and the transplanted cells do not always survive or integrate properly into the existing tissue. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-biohybrid-microrobots-spinal-cord-combining.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 02 Jun 2026 09:40:01 EDT news699610321 Lung cancer remains one of the world's deadliest cancers, yet despite decades of effort to develop new drugs, many fail because they don't stay in the body long enough to be effective or because they damage healthy organs. Now, Adelaide University researchers have developed a novel nanoparticle "delivery vehicle" that precisely targets cancer drugs to the lungs while helping to limit harmful side effects—a breakthrough that could reshape how the disease is treated. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-nanoparticles-boost-delivery-lung-cancer.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 02 Jun 2026 09:20:04 EDT news699610261 Researchers with the University of Cincinnati and Johns Hopkins Medicine developed a potential treatment for brain cancer that uses nanofibers embedded with a combination of drugs that work in concert to target tumors. The drugs proved more effective in combination than when administered alone and can provide both immediate and long-lasting doses to kill cancer cells. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-nanofiber-implant-drugs-survival-glioblastoma.html Bio & Medicine Sat, 30 May 2026 17:00:04 EDT news699190974 When doctors and scientists want to see inside a body, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful tool. MRI can noninvasively capture detailed images of the body's muscles, organs, and bones. It can monitor blood flow to generate a map of brain activity. And with new sensors developed by bioengineers at MIT, MRI can track the kinds of molecules that make our brains and bodies work. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-mri-sensors-molecules-brain-body.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 28 May 2026 16:20:08 EDT news699193442 Every year, about 85,000 Americans are diagnosed with bladder cancer. While treatment is often successful, bladder cancer has one of the highest rates of recurrence of any cancer: Following treatment, about 50% of patients develop tumors again within the next five years. This makes it one of the most expensive cancers for society to treat. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-nanotube-coated-catheter-bladder-cancer.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 28 May 2026 15:10:01 EDT news699198481 In a study published in ACS Nano, researchers from National Taiwan University report a new expansion microscopy strategy termed high-fold homogeneous expansion microscopy (hiHomoExM), capable of achieving approximately 8–9× isotropic expansion in a single expansion step while preserving delicate ultrastructural organization. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-9x-expansion-reveals-nanoscale-centrioles.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 26 May 2026 14:40:01 EDT news699016621 Precision medicine aims to transport therapeutic agents, such as molecules, proteins or RNA, to the exact place where they need to act within the body. One of the most promising strategies is the use of nanocarriers: nanoparticles capable of encapsulating the drug, protecting it, transporting it and releasing it in a controlled manner where it is needed. At present, however, their behavior is usually analyzed using techniques based on average measurements of large populations, which conceal the differences between individual particles. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-particle-tracking-reveals-uneven-nanoparticle.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 21 May 2026 17:50:01 EDT news698601481 Living systems such as cells rely on membrane pores and channels to transport molecules, exchange signals, and organize biochemical reactions. These functions emerge from dynamic interactions between molecular components. Researchers at the University of Stuttgart have used DNA nanotechnology to develop a synthetic membrane architecture that mimics such interactions. The new platform enables coordinated molecular transport and programmable biochemical reactions inside an artificial compartment. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-coupled-dna-nanopores-molecular-traffic.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 21 May 2026 15:40:02 EDT news698592782 Gold nanoparticles, which are about one-thousandth the width of a human hair, can convert light they receive from a laser into heat. This capacity, known in medicine as photothermal therapy, is effective at destroying cancer cells without harming the surrounding healthy tissue. It's one of the techniques the scientific community is exploring in depth as an alternative chemotherapy, as it is less aggressive. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-shell-gold-nanoparticles-laser-longer.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 19 May 2026 15:00:08 EDT news698415541 What if eyes could use light to heal themselves? Drawing inspiration from how plants harness sunlight, researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) are pioneering a revolutionary treatment for dry eye disease. Their approach uses a light-activated technology derived from the photosynthetic membranes of the spinach plant, enabling the eye to stay continuously hydrated. This offers a solution that is simple, effective, and non-invasive. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-eyes-photosynthesize-scientists-dry-eye.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 18 May 2026 13:00:04 EDT news698321942 Every human cell is surrounded by a sugar coating known as the glycocalyx. It not only interacts with its environment but also reveals a great deal about cells' internal states. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) have mapped sugar structures on cell surfaces using high-resolution microscopy. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-nanometer-scale-cell-sugar-reveals.html Bio & Medicine Fri, 15 May 2026 10:55:05 EDT news698061234 How do sea squirts stay attached to rocks amid crashing waves and strong currents? Recent research has revealed that sea squirts do not simply secrete adhesive substances. Instead, they possess a unique system where they package these materials into nano-sized (nm) condensates, deliver them to the destination, and then unpack them for use onsite. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-sea-squirts-nano-packaging-delivery.html Bio & Medicine Fri, 15 May 2026 09:07:46 EDT news698054822 Medications are designed to treat diseased tissues while sparing healthy ones, often by attaching the drug to something that helps guide it directly to its target. But drugs also need time to work, which means they need to stay near the diseased tissues long enough. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-molecular-grappling-cancer-drug-effectiveness.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 13 May 2026 08:00:03 EDT news697708321 Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a high-throughput method to identify gold nanoparticles capable of delivering therapies directly to mitochondria (the energy centers inside cancer cells). By tagging nanoparticles with unique DNA "barcodes," the team was able to track and compare dozens of designs simultaneously in living tumor models, rapidly identifying those most effective at reaching this critical subcellular target. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-dna-barcodes-gold-nanoparticles-cancer.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 12 May 2026 14:20:03 EDT news697804561 Sleep is a vital physiological process that allows humans and other animals to restore both the mind and body, while also consolidating memories, clearing out toxins and regulating their metabolism. Several past studies showed that getting insufficient sleep for prolonged periods of time can trigger inflammatory responses and can negatively impact people's memory, mood, attention and decision-making. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-exosomes-reverse-deprivation-brain-mice.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 12 May 2026 11:20:06 EDT news697800599 Cancer cells frequently develop the ability to expel anticancer drugs before they can work—a phenomenon called multidrug resistance (MDR)—which is one of the leading reasons why chemotherapy fails in patients. Research published in the Journal of Controlled Release addresses that problem with a fundamentally new strategy: instead of simply increasing drug doses or switching drugs, researchers engineered nanoparticles that first disable the cancer cell's drug-expulsion mechanism, and only then release the anticancer drug. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-nanoparticles-drug-resistant-cancer-sequential.html Bio & Medicine Fri, 08 May 2026 11:20:05 EDT news697457282 A research team led by the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has developed a new type of nanoparticle therapy that could make cancer immunotherapy safer and more effective. The researchers say they've created a promising new treatment called CRYSTAL, short for Crystal-like STING-Activating nanoassemblies, by engineering a new nanoparticle that moves through the blood safely to target tumors but without triggering inflammation, which can lead to a range of negative side effects. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-nanoparticle-therapy-manganese-cancer-treatment.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 07 May 2026 17:30:03 EDT news697391341 Using a powerful single-molecule imaging method they developed, a Broad Institute research team has unveiled a dynamic view of how some cancer-related proteins interact in living cells. The technique relies on highly stable nanoparticle probes that brightly illuminate individual molecules for long periods of time. The researchers used their method to observe, for the first time, individual receptors as they move around the cell membrane, attaching to and then letting go of other receptors to alter signaling within the cell. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-nanoparticles-exposed-hidden-cancer-protein.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 04 May 2026 09:20:04 EDT news697103281