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Elena Rozhkova: Here at the Center for Nanoscale Materials at Argonne National Laboratory,
we've teamed up with users from the University of Chicago Brain Tumor Center
to use key discoveries we've made in nanomaterials to help in the fight against cancer.
Basically, we are learning from nature.
We developed hybrid materials based on inorganic material and biological molecules.
This allowed us to target cancer cells or any other cells of interest,
specifically while healthy cells are not affected.
First, we modified the surface of magnetic disks with biological molecules
to recognize specific receptors on the surface of cancer cells.
Then, biological membrane is very sensitive to the application of mechanical stimulus,
so then we apply weak magnetic fields.
The discs start oscillations, and while they are oscillating they send magnetic-mechanical stimulus to single cells.
We also combined titanium dioxide nanoparticles with antibodies, which would then bind with cancer cells.
When we shined the light on the cells, an oxidation reaction would start,
that would cause the cell's self-destruction, or suicide.
Both of these approaches will give us new ways to fight cancer and hopefully save many lives.