New therapy could dramatically improve chemotherapy
Researchers develop palladium-encapsulated method of activating drugs in human cells
A team from universities in Spain and Scotland, in collaboration with the University of Kebangsaan in Malaysia, has developed a new therapy based on nanotechnology that has no side effects and could improve chemotherapy for cancer patients.
The therapy, developed by scientists at the universities of Granada and Edinburgh, is based on the encapsulation of a catalyst (palladium) into micro-spheres, to synthesize artificial materials or activate drugs within human cells, thus avoiding any toxicity.
The metal palladium is not found naturally in human cells. It allows chemical reactions within cells to take place without altering their basic functions of protein synthesis and metabolism. This technique has enabled the researchers to ‘create’ anti-cancer drugs within cells, which could be used for the specific treatment of tumours and would improve dramatically current chemotherapy treatments.
Rosario María Sánchez Martín will further develop the research, and continue her collaboration with the University of Edinburgh research group led by Professor Mark Bradley.
The results of this research, Palladium-mediated intracellular chemistry, were published in the journal Nature Chemistry.