https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Glioblastoma is the most aggressive form of brain cancer. It's difficult to treat because tumor cells infiltrate the surrounding brain tissue, making it hard for surgeons to remove the cancer completely without damaging healthy tissue. Treatment is further complicated by the blood-brain barrier, which limits how well drugs and radiation therapy reach the brain. All these factors contribute to a five-year survival rate of only around 7%. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-nanoparticles-surgeons-destroy-brain-cancer.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 06 Aug 2026 11:20:03 EDT news705229622 Nanoparticles are widely used in medicine to deliver drugs, genes or imaging agents to specific parts of the body. Once a nanoparticle reaches a cell, however, many things can happen—it can reach its target, be degraded, interact with proteins that help transport it, or interact with proteins that hinder its transport. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-nanozymes-nanoparticle-routes-cells-genetic.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 02 Jul 2026 19:40:01 EDT news702228661 Researchers have developed a rapid color-changing test that can distinguish between different strains of golden staph, including those likely to be virulent and antibiotic resistant. Golden staph is a major human pathogen and is a leading cause of infection-related deaths globally, with more than a million fatalities each year. The research paper is published in the journal Small. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-dangerous-staph-strains-fast.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 15 Apr 2026 17:20:09 EDT news695481241 Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have developed an artificial metal-based nanozyme that can potentially be used to clamp down on abnormal blood clotting caused by conditions like pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE). https://phys.org/news/2025-06-nanozyme-excess-clotting.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 04 Jun 2025 09:48:04 EDT news668249281 A research team led by Prof. Wang Hui from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science (HFIPS) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in collaboration with researchers led by Prof. Qian Junchao from HFIPS and Prof. Qu Songnan from the University of Macau, has successfully developed a novel low-coordination single-atom manganese nanozyme using a unique "molecular carbonization-reduction" strategy. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-mn-atom-nanozymes-enable-imaging.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 06 May 2025 11:04:03 EDT news665748241 Nanozymes are synthetic materials that have enzyme-like catalytic properties, and they are broadly used for biomedical purposes, such as disease diagnostics. However, inorganic nanozymes are generally toxic, expensive, and complicated to produce, making them unsuitable for the agricultural and food industries. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-generation-nanozymes-safe-effective-solution.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 27 Feb 2025 17:07:04 EST news659898422 Apical periodontitis, a chronic and hard-to-treat dental infection, affects more than half of the population worldwide and is the leading cause of tooth loss. Root canal is the standard treatment, but existing approaches to treat the infection have many limitations that can cause complications, leading to treatment failure. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-nanoparticles-treatment-root-canal-infection.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:31:04 EST news659622661 A collaborative study published on January 21 in Nature Communications presents a novel strategy to improve the effectiveness of radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). https://phys.org/news/2025-02-nanozyme-hypoxic-lesions-radiosensitivity-nasopharyngeal.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 13 Feb 2025 07:22:04 EST news658653722 In a new study, Professor Hui Wei and coworkers have introduced a predictive descriptor—t2 occupancy—to guide the design of spinel oxide-based nanozymes with enhanced peroxidase-like (POD) activity. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-descriptor-high-nanozymes-peroxidase.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 20 Jan 2025 11:54:35 EST news656596473 Researchers at the University of Kentucky are exploring new ways to use nanoparticles in combination with other materials as an innovative approach to cancer therapy. https://phys.org/news/2024-12-magnetic-nanoparticles-enzymatic-cancer-therapy.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 09 Dec 2024 11:38:59 EST news652966736 Depression is a significant challenge to diagnose and treat. Among the factors influencing depression onset and severity, there is growing evidence for chemical imbalances that generate oxidative stress throughout the body. To address this problem, researchers reporting in the journal Langmuir have developed antioxidant carbon dot nanozymes (synthetic enzyme-like substances) that reduced oxidative stress, rebalanced gut microbes and alleviated stress-induced depression in rats. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-antioxidant-carbon-dot-nanozymes-alleviate.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 18 Sep 2024 17:08:06 EDT news645898081 Nanozymes are tiny, engineered substances that mimic the catalytic properties of natural enzymes, and they serve a variety of purposes in biomedicine, chemical engineering, and environmental applications. They are typically made from inorganic materials, including metal-based elements, which makes them unsuitable for many purposes due to their toxicity and high production costs. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-nanozymes-broad-applications-food-agriculture.html Biochemistry Tue, 30 Jul 2024 12:18:37 EDT news641560711 A research team led by Prof. Gao Lizeng from the Institute of Biophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences proposed a bactericidal mechanism based on nanozymes that simulate antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and antimicrobial enzymes (AMEs) according to biomimicry principles, and designed a dual-functional high-efficiency antimicrobial nanozyme. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-scientists-dual-functional-high-efficiency.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 17 Jul 2024 10:39:02 EDT news640431541 Urinary tract infections (UTIs), affecting millions worldwide, are predominantly caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). These infections are characterized by bacterial adhesion and colonization in the urinary tract, evading host immune responses. Researchers from Nanjing University have recently reported a new approach to combating UTIs through the development of bioinspired nanozymes acting as nanodecoys. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-nanozyme-enabled-nanodecoys-strategy-urinary.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 14 Mar 2024 13:14:02 EDT news629640839 From the fuzzy feeling on your teeth to the unfortunate condition of halitosis, bacteria shape mouth health. When dental illnesses take hold, diagnosis and treatment are necessary, but identifying the microorganisms behind an infection can be a lengthy and expensive process. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-artificial-tongue-inactivates-common-mouth.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 26 Feb 2024 13:23:51 EST news628176229 A research group led by Prof. Wang Hui from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science (HFIPS) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has introduced a metal-free nanozyme based on graphene quantum dots (GQDs) for highly efficient tumor chemodynamic therapy (CDT). The study is published in Matter. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-metal-free-graphene-quantum-dots.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 10 Jan 2024 11:00:01 EST news624099325 Nanozymes are synthetic materials that mimic the properties of natural enzymes for applications in biomedicine and chemical engineering. Historically, they are generally considered too toxic and expensive for use in agriculture and food science. Now, researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a nanozyme that is organic, non-toxic, environmentally friendly, and cost effective. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-nanozymes-suitable-agricultural.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 16 Oct 2023 17:17:03 EDT news616695421 Scientists at the Materials Research Center (MRC), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), have developed a new type of enzyme mimetic that can degrade toxic chemicals in industrial wastewater effectively in the presence of sunlight. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-scientists-nanozyme-mimetic-degrades-effluents.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 03 Oct 2023 09:34:05 EDT news615544441 Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) researchers have developed minimal nanozymes with the capacity of capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted in industrial processes—and applicable to other environmental remediation processes—based on artificial molecular structures formed by the peptides of only seven amino acids. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-minimal-nanozymes-carbon-dioxide-capture.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 26 Sep 2023 09:04:03 EDT news614937842 Using the Steady-State High Magnetic Field Experimental Facility, researchers led by Prof. Wang Hui from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Washington, have constructed a photoresponsive carbon encapsulated magneto nanodonut (CEMNDs) nanoenzyme with dual catalytic activity for photothermally enhanced chemodynamic cancer synergistic therapy. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-carbon-encapsulated-magnetite-nanodonut-synergistic-cancer.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 17 Aug 2023 11:34:03 EDT news611490841 Scientists at the Texas A&M University Health Science Center (Texas A&M Health) have discovered that a nano-sized carbon material derived from the oxidation of carbon-rich sources could be used to treat Down syndrome and other disorders associated with high levels of hydrogen sulfide. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-nano-sized-carbon-material-syndrome.html Bio & Medicine Fri, 21 Jul 2023 11:41:26 EDT news609158483 A team of researchers from Nanjing University has developed a probiotic nanozyme hydrogel to regulate the vaginal microenvironment for Candida vaginitis therapy. Candida vaginitis, a common fungal infection that affects about 75% of women worldwide, is known for its high recurrence rates and negative impact on women's health. https://phys.org/news/2023-06-nanozyme-hydrogel-breakthrough-solution-candida.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 05 Jun 2023 10:34:54 EDT news605180091 Infections caused by fungi, such as Candida albicans, pose a significant global health risk due to their resistance to existing treatments, so much so that the World Health Organization has highlighted this as a priority issue. https://phys.org/news/2023-05-nanorobotic-options-fungal-infections.html Bio & Medicine Fri, 26 May 2023 14:41:07 EDT news604330863 Plants use photosynthesis to harvest energy from sunlight. Now researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have applied this principle as the basis for developing new sustainable processes which in the future may produce syngas (synthetic gas) for the large-scale chemical industry and be able to charge batteries. https://phys.org/news/2023-03-smart-photosynthesis.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 21 Mar 2023 12:57:04 EDT news598622222 The occurrence of chemical reactions between like-charged compounds in aqueous solutions is very slow since particles repel each other. A recent breakthrough published in Nature Communications shows a new way to control chemical reactions by charge neutralization and increase in effective concentrations of reactants. The joint research teams led by prof. Robert Hołyst from the Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, discovered that using compounds with a large surface charge density speed up the reactions up to 5-million fold. https://phys.org/news/2023-01-micellesthe-boosting-reactions-interactions.html Biochemistry Tue, 24 Jan 2023 11:11:04 EST news593781061 Hair loss is undesirable for many men—and women—because one's hairstyle is often closely tied to their self-confidence. And while some people embrace it, others wish they could regrow their lost strands. Now, researchers reporting in Nano Letters have used artificial intelligence (AI) to predict compounds that could neutralize baldness-causing reactive oxygen species in the scalp. Using the best candidate, they constructed a proof-of-concept microneedle patch and effectively regenerated hair on mice. https://phys.org/news/2022-10-ai-microneedle-patches-hair-balding.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 31 Oct 2022 14:20:50 EDT news586444848 University of Central Florida material sciences engineers Melanie Coathup and Sudipta Seal have designed a cerium oxide nanoparticle—an artificial enzyme—that protects bones against damage from radiation. The nanoparticle has also shown abilities to improve bone regeneration, reduce loss of blood cells and help kill cancer cells. https://phys.org/news/2022-09-treatment-bones-cancer-therapy.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 26 Sep 2022 15:23:15 EDT news583424592 A joint research team led by Prof. Wang Hui, Prof. Zhang Xin and Prof. Qian Junchao from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science (HFIPS) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has proposed a new kind of near-infrared-triggered nanozyme based on iron oxide nanocrystals embedded in N-doped carbon nanosheets (IONCNs), which is promising for synergistic cascade tumor therapy. https://phys.org/news/2022-08-near-infrared-triggered-nanozyme-synergistic-cascade-tumor.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 30 Aug 2022 08:44:51 EDT news581067887 The CIC biomaGUNE Molecular and Functional Biomarkers group has developed a rapid, cost-effective, synthetic, microwave method for producing ultra-small manganese ferrite nanoparticles that act as advanced, multimodal contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET); they also have intracellular catalytic activity as a result of which an unprecedented reduction in tumor growth can be induced, for materials of this type, in a preclinical model of breast cancer. The results of this research, published by the journal Small, demonstrate that these nanoparticles have robust characteristics for nanobiotechnological applications. https://phys.org/news/2022-03-inorganic-nanozymes-therapeutic-contrast-agents.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 30 Mar 2022 09:30:07 EDT news567851405 A growing body of evidence points to a link between iron-deficiency anemia and severe tooth decay. Whether the connection is correlative or causative is unknown, though both conditions are associated with poor diets and are more common in people living in impoverished environments and with underlying medical conditions. https://phys.org/news/2021-10-nanozyme-therapy-dental-plaque-build-up.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 26 Oct 2021 03:34:42 EDT news554438078