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Can electron clouds generated inside cancer cells close to DNA cause effective cancer elimination?

Project specs

Format

Category

Health & Medicine

Client

Kyoto University

Contact

Christopher Monahan

Country

Japan

Funding agency

This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant nos. JP15K21764 and JP20H00331 (to F.T.) The synchrotron radiation experiments were performed using a QST experimental station at the QST beamline BL14B1, SPring-8, with the approval of the Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI) (Nos. 2019A3658, 2019B3658, 2020A3658, 2020A3660 and 2021A3660). We would also like to acknowledge Kyoto University iCeMS Analysis Center for various physical characterizations of nanoparticles and providing equipment for biological assays. We would like to thank Prof. John Bartlett (Western Sydney University) for the precious advice on zeta potential measurements of nanoparticles.

Length

01:00

Summary

Cancerous tumours are made of cells that are very difficult to kill. These cells escape our bodies’ surveillance mechanisms and can clump together to form tumours. Dr Tamanoi has developed new therapies using special materials such as iodine-containing nanoparticles. Employing a precisely tuned X-ray beam to generate electrons from these induces DNA damage inside the cancer cells, in order to destroy the tumour masses.

Researcher Profile

Dr. Tamanoi has been engaging in cancer research for the past thirty years. More recently, he has focused his effort to develop new cancer therapies that could replace current radiation therapies.