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Penetrating Particles
15 December 2012

Penetrating Particles

An important weapon in the fight against cancer is inside our own bodies, but we don't know how to fully unleash it. For many years researchers have been trying to harness our immune system's ability to kill cancer cells, but although there have been some promising results, progress has been slow. Researchers are now turning to nanoparticles to directly target tumours with molecules that attract the attention of the immune system. Just half an hour after being injected into a mouse, tiny nanoparticles (coloured green) can be seen coursing through the blood vessels in a melanoma tumour. Once in place, the nanoparticles deliver their deadly payload – one drug that triggers immune cells to attack the cancer, and another that switches off signals that normally damps down the immune response. Together they make a potent combination that could translate into an important future treatment for patients.

Written by Kat Arney

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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