Blog
Hope for Cancer
November 28, 2016
Researchers at the Houston Methodist Research Institute have worked with nanotechnology to help cure cancer. They have created silicon nanoparticles to target only the diseased cells. These silicon particles have an extremely high surface area, at about 1,200 square meters per gram. The particles are small, but have a high pore size, allowing a variety of chemicals to be loaded at the same time. They release polymer strands that form a nanoparticle containing the drug that the patient needs.The polymer stands then dissolves inside the cancer cells in the tumor.
Silicon nanoparticles are well suited to do their job because its not a complicated process. Unlike other nanoparticles, it is all one process causing less stress on the human body. Also, silicon nanoparticles are specifically built to deliver drugs to cancerous cells in tumors. These nanoparticles are the only ones that are focused on curing cancer because the other ones are helping with damaged brain tissue, blood clots, absorbing toxics, or another sickness.
The uses of Nanotechnolgy in cancer treatment offers some exciting possiblities. Nanotechnology is good because it is a lot safer. It can kill and cure the diseased cell, with minimal damge to the healthy cells. The use of nanotechnology in the medical field could treat the human body and the diseases in the future. It can extend the human life because of the cures. Nanotechnology is better than things like Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy drugs are powerful enough to harm the healthy cells, causing side effects. Since it interefers with the producing of blood platelets, red blood cells, and white blood cells, it can cause side effects such as anxiety, depression, digestive stress, and it can weaken the heart muscle.
"Nanotechnology in Cancer Treatment." Nanotechnology in Cancer Treatment. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Jan.
Silicon nanoparticles are well suited to do their job because its not a complicated process. Unlike other nanoparticles, it is all one process causing less stress on the human body. Also, silicon nanoparticles are specifically built to deliver drugs to cancerous cells in tumors. These nanoparticles are the only ones that are focused on curing cancer because the other ones are helping with damaged brain tissue, blood clots, absorbing toxics, or another sickness.
The uses of Nanotechnolgy in cancer treatment offers some exciting possiblities. Nanotechnology is good because it is a lot safer. It can kill and cure the diseased cell, with minimal damge to the healthy cells. The use of nanotechnology in the medical field could treat the human body and the diseases in the future. It can extend the human life because of the cures. Nanotechnology is better than things like Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy drugs are powerful enough to harm the healthy cells, causing side effects. Since it interefers with the producing of blood platelets, red blood cells, and white blood cells, it can cause side effects such as anxiety, depression, digestive stress, and it can weaken the heart muscle.
"Nanotechnology in Cancer Treatment." Nanotechnology in Cancer Treatment. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Jan.
Left: Microscopic clusters of silicon nanoparticles Middle: A single cluster Right: Shows the space so that it can swell when being charged
"Silicon Nanoparticles Clustered Like Pomegranate Seeds Solve Problems for Lithium-Ion Batteries." SciTech Daily. N.p., 17 Feb. 2014. Web. 11 Jan. 2017.
"Silicon Nanoparticles Clustered Like Pomegranate Seeds Solve Problems for Lithium-Ion Batteries." SciTech Daily. N.p., 17 Feb. 2014. Web. 11 Jan. 2017.
Outstanding Results
January 04, 2017
The human immune system protects the body from bacteria, viruses, and other microscopic antagonists that can overwhelm the human body. Researchers have been finding ways to engineer the human immune system to kill cancer cells. The diagnostic test called ClonoSEQ, is the first immunotherapy by Adaptive Biotechnologies, which was founded in 2009 by two brothers. Chad and Harlan Robins' idea was to use DNA sequencing to examine the genes of T and B cells, which are the building blocks of the human immune system. The brothers have revealed that their pricing will be low because they want to help people avoid expensive treatments that have a chance of not working for them.
A story on the MIT Technology Review, tells us that a young man had to make the decision of trying ClonoSEQ or continue going through the process of chemotherapy. If he contined going through chemotherapy, he had a high risk that the leukemia would spread even more, or he can undergo a blood transplate, that would offer the best chance of a cure. With the help of a clinical expert, he decided to go through ClonoSEQ. He now has most of the luekemia out of his bloodstream.
Although ClonoSEQ has a chance of severe complications, it has proven that in some cases it can be better than chemotherapy. It has shown that its test can be much more sensistive to diseases than other tools, such as cell-counting technology called flow cytometry. This company and these two brother have been extremely successful and have proven that there is always hope.
Weintraub, Arlene. "Searching the Human Immune System for Clues to Cancer." MIT Technology Review. MIT Technology Review, 26 Oct. 2016. Web. 11 Jan. 2017.
A story on the MIT Technology Review, tells us that a young man had to make the decision of trying ClonoSEQ or continue going through the process of chemotherapy. If he contined going through chemotherapy, he had a high risk that the leukemia would spread even more, or he can undergo a blood transplate, that would offer the best chance of a cure. With the help of a clinical expert, he decided to go through ClonoSEQ. He now has most of the luekemia out of his bloodstream.
Although ClonoSEQ has a chance of severe complications, it has proven that in some cases it can be better than chemotherapy. It has shown that its test can be much more sensistive to diseases than other tools, such as cell-counting technology called flow cytometry. This company and these two brother have been extremely successful and have proven that there is always hope.
Weintraub, Arlene. "Searching the Human Immune System for Clues to Cancer." MIT Technology Review. MIT Technology Review, 26 Oct. 2016. Web. 11 Jan. 2017.
A T cell from the immune system of a person in good health.
Weintraub, Arlene. "Searching the Human Immune System for Clues to Cancer." MIT Technology Review. MIT Technology Review, 26 Oct. 2016. Web. 11 Jan. 2017.
Weintraub, Arlene. "Searching the Human Immune System for Clues to Cancer." MIT Technology Review. MIT Technology Review, 26 Oct. 2016. Web. 11 Jan. 2017.