by Playfuls Staff |
14th February 2007
U.S. medical researchers predict artificially created cells might be a new therapeutic approach for treating [more] diseases in an ever-changing world.
Carnegie Mellon University's Philip LeDuc, an assistant professor of mechanical and biomedical engineering, posits the efficacy of using man-made cells to treat diseases without injecting drugs.
"Our proposal is to use naturally available molecules to create pseudo-cell factories where we create a super artificial cell capable of targeting and treating whatever is ailing the body," said LeDuc. "The human cell is like a bustling metropolis, and we aim to tap the energy and diversity of the processes in a human cell to help the body essentially heal itself."
LeDuc and his team want to use the cell's microscopic package of tightly organized parts to improve medical treatments.
For example, he proposes using the processes in a cell, such as the membrane, to create an enclosed functioning environment for a nanofactory. Then, by using other biologically inspired processes such as molecular-binding and transport, the pseudo-cell can target, modify and deliver chemicals that the body needs to function properly.
The novel proposal appeared in the January edition of the journal Nature Nanotechnology.
© 2007 UPI
