Bombing out cancer with nanotech

Panchapakesan, who migrated to the US from Chennai some 10 years ago, said that the nanobombs were in the early stages of development, but the goal is to use them in medical applications. The bombs are created by bundling carbon nanotubes, smaller than the size of a single cell, and exposing them to light. With a single nanotube, the heat generated after light exposure is dissipated by the surrounding air. In bundles, however, the heat cannot dissipate as quickly and the result is an explosion on the nanoscale, Panchapakesan said—“they work almost like cluster bombs.”

The nanobomb holds great promise as a therapeutic agent for killing cancer cells because its shockwave kills the cancerous cells as well as the biological pathways that carry instructions to generate additional cancerous cells.

An advantage over other carbon nanotube treatments being considered by scientists is that with nanobombs, the carbon nanotubes are destroyed along with the cancer cells.

Panchapakesan said the method is far better than modern chemotherapy, which is non-selective, kills normal cells as well as cancerous cells and leads to a decline in the quality of life for the patient. ‘‘The nanobomb is very selective, very localised and minimally invasive,’’ Panchapakesan said. ‘‘It might cause what I would call nanopain, like a pin prick.’’ —PTI