Nanoparticles

The blood-brain barrier keeps your brain safe from toxins, but frustratingly it also keeps important drugs out. MIT researchers have now demonstrated an accurate new model of how this barrier works, which should enable new brain cancer treatments.

For some time now, antimicrobial bioactive glass has been put forward for use in applications such as medical implants, hospital surfaces and wound dressings. Now, scientists report they have boosted its bacteria-killing effect by over 100 times.

A study from scientists at MIT has demonstrated a way to deliver mRNA directly to the digestive tract using a novel capsule. The researchers indicate this oral delivery system could be a unique way to administer mRNA therapies directly to the stomach.

Researchers have produced a novel nanoparticle-enhanced intranasal influenza vaccine. The results of a preclinical study demonstrate the unique nasal spray inducing robust local and systemic immune responses for over six months in animal models.

Researchers have developed a new nanotherapy to enhance the effectiveness of a type 1 diabetes treatment. The innovation packages immunosuppressive drugs into nanoparticles to reduce the likelihood of a body rejecting newly transplanted islet cells.

Although silver is highly effective at killing bacteria, it can also be toxic to humans in large amounts. That's where a new wound dressing is intended to come in, as it only releases its silver payload when infections are present.

For people with particularly cavity-prone teeth, daily brushing and flossing aren't always enough. A new treatment could help, as it uses tiny particles known as nanozymes to break down plaque and kill cavity-causing bacteria.

A decent chunk of energy usage goes towards lighting, so scientists at MIT are developing a new kind of passive lighting – glow-in-the-dark plants. In the latest experiments, the team made them glow brighter without harming their health.

Researchers have developed particles called dendrimers that are covered in tiny tentacles, arranged in patterns too small for the immune system to detect. These could be handy for delivering drugs or camouflaging implants to prevent rejection.

When it comes to contraceptives, men typically have to remember to use a condom, or get a difficult-to-reverse vasectomy. There may soon be a new option, however, in the form of injected particles that are magnetically guided to the testes.

Radiotherapy is one of the best treatments we have against cancer, but there's room for improvement. Now, researchers in Japan have developed nanoparticles that can penetrate tumors and kill them from within, after being activated by external X-rays.

The earlier cancer is detected, the better. MIT scientists have developed a diagnostic system that can be performed as a urine test to detect the presence of cancer, and if a positive is returned, a follow-up test can locate where it is in the body.