UC San Diego researchers have created an array of nanopillars that can breach the nucleus of a cell—the compartment that houses our DNA—without damaging the cell’s outer membrane. This new “gateway into the nucleus” could open new possibilities in gene therapy, where genetic material needs to be delivered directly into the nucleus, as well as drug delivery and other forms of precision medicine.
Tag: nanopillar
By Mimicking Cicada Wings, Scientists Are Investigating New Ways to Keep Patients Safe
Cicada’s cries ring out in the hot air and their discarded exoskeletons decorate tree branches in the southeast and midwest United States at the height of summer. While their ability to emerge in huge numbers is astounding, they have other surprising features too. In fact, their wings kill bacteria on contact and are self-cleaning. Researchers using the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Brookhaven National Laboratory user facilities investigated this bizarre phenomenon. They learned how structures in the cells are able to pull off such a feat and how it could be used in medical applications.