Magnetite (Fe3O4) and gold nanoparticles are being developed for the early detection and localized treatment of breast and prostate cancer. The nanoparticles have been synthesized by AUST PhD students (David Obayemi and Stella Dozie-Nwachukwu) using bio-synthesis techniques in which the interactions between biological organisms (magneto-bacteria/bacteria and plants) and salts have been used to synthesize gold and magnetite nanoparticles. The particles have also been conjugated with ligands that selectively attach to breast and prostate cancer cells and animal studies are exploring the extent to which these nanoparticles to facilitate the early detection detection and treatment of cancer.
Via: African University of Science & Technology, Abuja (AUST)