Can DNA nanobots successfully treat cancer patients? First human trial soon

Credit: Radiating Oncology & Biology, University of Oxford

Chemotherapy for cancer is plagued by side-effects, including hair-loss & nausea. Side effects are such a problem, that they promote reactions such as:
● “If I had known it would be this bad, I wouldn't have started.”
● refusal of further treatment

Poisoning is the reason for the side effects: to kill the cancer, extremely powerful poisons are used. May or may not kill the cancer, but almost kills the patient. But, what if chemotherapy drugs could be delivered only to the cancer, without poisoning the rest of the patient’s body? This is the “magic bullet”, first suggested by Dr. Paul Ehrlich (1854–1915).

DNA nanobots are nano-size constructs which contain a molecular payload, closed with a DNA lock, which is primed to open when it encounters some surface feature of the target, such as a cancer cell. In this way, the target is exposed to high levels of the treatment chemical, while the patient is exposed to very low levels.

http://singularityhub.com/2015/01/08/can-dna-nanobots-successfully-treat-cancer-patient-first-human-trial-soon/ / Ido Bachelet Harvard Wyss Institute faculty member Israel’s Bar-Ilan University DNA nanotechnology DNA nanobots critically ill leukemia patient injection DNA nanobots designed interact destroy leukemia cells virtually zero collateral damage healthy tissue team success successful successfully tested method cell cultures animals Science magazine Nature magazine contemporary cancer therapies invasive surgery blasts of drugs painful damaging body iatrogenic iatrogenesis disease itself approach proves successful human more research signal transformational moment cancer treatment critically ill nanobot injections healthy people annual checkup receive injection nanobots screen bodyany type of cancer identify 12 tumor types eliminate before spread detectable detect identify animals humans animal human early trial one patient Bachelet colleague Shawn Douglas working on DNA nanobots DNA nanotechnology Ned Seeman bending strands DNA geometric shapes researchers construct two three dimensional shapes tiles cubes spheres polyhedrons gears letters smiley faces DNA nanostructures scientists link short DNA strands longer strand designed synthetic DNA strands fabricated to spec expensive painstaking fabrication shape scientists mix DNA heat solution as it cools multitudes of tiny shapes self-assemble self assemble software engineered predict model DNA fold design process becoming more efficient creations robots perform actions given the right conditions nanobots cylindrical clamshells flexible DNA hinges locked twin DNA double helixes carry a molecular payload cancer drug inside DNA locks engineered react specific molecules proteins surfaces surface cancer cells locks bind molecules clam shell opens nanobot’s payload is delivered nanobots release drugs only near cancer cells sparing the body’s population of otherwise healthy cells nanobots organic biocompatible material body pegging foreign invaders launching an immune response bot robot tuned body clears more precise drug delivery using already discovered drugs deemed too toxic cancer DNA nanobots performing surgery cellular level mending spinal injuries bridging severed nerves actively directing how to reconnect future more work to be done /