In a short series, we will focus on various topics on personalized medicine in China. Second in this series: personalized nano-medicine.
A group of Chinese and American researchers recently published a paper in Nature Communications on a nano-particle with a high potential in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. The investigators designed particles, consisting of nanoporphyrins, to specifically target tumors in mice. When applied in vivo, these nano-particles revealed a broad range of clinically relevant properties. Applications ranged from diagnosis to treatment, as particles:
– enhanced the visibility of tumors by imaging techniques such as MRI and PET;
– could be activated on-site to produce heat or oxygen radicals to destroy tumor cells;
– could act as vehicles for targeted drug delivery in tumors.
All together, the investigators developed a versatile platform that is likely to find its application in patient-specific cancer diagnostics and treatment. It works in mice, and a successful application in humans is anticipated.