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 Malignant tumor treatment remains a major challenge due to the limited precision and significant side effects. Copper-based single-atom nanozymes have shown promise for tumor microenvironment-responsive precision therapy, but their practical application is limited by weak substrate adsorption, difficulty in synthesizing low-coordination unsaturated structures, and limitations of conventional preparation methods. A research team has now successfully developed a coordination-unsaturated copper single-atom nanozyme. Their work is published in Advanced Functional Materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-copper-nanozyme-powerful-tumor-suppression.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 29 Apr 2026 20:40:01 EDT news696695221 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 Lignin is the most abundant renewable aromatic polymer in nature. Its conversion into high value-added chemicals or materials is essential for biomass valorization and sustainable development. Nanozymes, which combine the catalytic efficiency of natural enzymes with the stability of nanomaterials, offer a highly promising green approach for lignin degradation. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-copper-nanozyme-enables-efficient-lignin.html Nanophysics Mon, 29 Dec 2025 07:36:21 EST news686216159 Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains one of the most pressing public health challenges, leaving millions with lasting disabilities each year. When the brain suffers a sudden impact, from a fall, vehicle accident, or sports collision, it triggers inflammation, oxidative stress, and nerve damage that continue long after the initial trauma. Despite decades of research, the traditional diagnosis and treatment strategies often face limitations such as poor detection and inefficient drug delivery. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-exploring-smart-nanomaterials-traumatic-brain.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 12 Nov 2025 13:36:04 EST news682176961 To enable early diagnosis of acute illnesses and effective management of chronic conditions, point-of-care testing (POCT) technology—diagnostics conducted near the patient—is drawing global attention. The key to POCT lies in enzymes that recognize and react precisely with specific substances. However, traditional natural enzymes are expensive and unstable, and nanozymes (enzyme-mimicking catalysts) have suffered from low reaction selectivity. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-high-sensitivity-sensor-platform-rapid.html Biochemistry Tue, 29 Jul 2025 09:11:10 EDT news672999066 Recently, a research team successfully developed a series of CoNi-metal-organic framework (MOF) nanozymes with laccase-like activity using a gas-liquid interface dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) low-temperature plasma (LTP) technique. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-temperature-plasma-technique-boosts-nanozyme.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 07 Jul 2025 16:39:36 EDT news671125172 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 Special care must be taken with illnesses during pregnancy, as not all drugs are safe for mother and child. This is why an international research team involving Empa is now developing nanomedicines that will enable safe and effective treatment of inflammatory processes during pregnancy. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-nanomedicines-safe-treatment-inflammation-pregnancy.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 21 May 2025 04:17:05 EDT news667019812 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 Nanozymes have high catalytic activity, high stability and high adaptability, and have become a new sensitive material for building sensors in the field of detection. Designing and preparing efficient nanozymes and promotion of their application in food detection have attracted much attention from researchers. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-copper-metal-framework-nanozymes-enable.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 30 Sep 2024 11:25:02 EDT news646914301 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 A research group led by Prof. Wang Hui from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences introduced an axial O atom-modulated Fe-N4 nanozymes for realizing efficient H2O2 Russell reaction to singlet oxygen (1O2) at hypoxic environment without external stimulus. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-atom-nanozymes-hypoxia-tolerant-singlet.html Biochemistry Mon, 05 Aug 2024 10:19:27 EDT news642071963 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 According to a study published in the Chemical Engineering Journal, a collaborative research team led by Prof. Wang Hui from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed magnetite nanozyme (MNZ) with dual enzymatic activities through structural engineering and demonstrated its structure-dependent behavior in the process of tumor treatment. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-potent-tumor-treatment-dual-function.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 27 May 2024 10:56:31 EDT news636026189 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 Recently, a research team led by Prof. Wu Zhengyan from Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration Binzhou Medical University, successfully designed a nanostructure that improves the detection and treatment of tumors. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-tumor-microenvironment-nanostructure-enables-precise.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 08 Jan 2024 15:45:03 EST news623951101 Enzyodynamic therapy (EDT) is a new type of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-related dynamic therapeutic modality, which adequately utilizes the enzyme-triggered catalytic reactions in living organisms and achieves disease treatment through controlling the generation or elimination of ROS. ROS refers to a highly active chemical substance containing oxygen free radicals in the body or natural environment. ROS at physiological concentration is beneficial for the development of living organisms. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-enzyodynamic-therapy-nanoscale.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 19 Oct 2023 16:39:03 EDT news616952341 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 Researchers led by Prof. Wu Zhengyan and Zhang Jia from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have developed an all-in-one nanozyme for the capture, separation and detection of copper ion (Cu2+) in complicated matrixes, achieving accurate detection of copper ions. The study was published in the journal Small. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-zinc-doped-prussian-blue-nanozyme-all-in-one.html Nanomaterials Wed, 11 Oct 2023 14:49:03 EDT news616254542 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