Indian scientists develop new magnetic nanoparticles to boost cancer treatments

IANS April 7, 2025 278 views

A groundbreaking scientific advancement has emerged from India's Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology, introducing innovative magnetic nanoparticles for cancer treatment. The research team has developed a method using nanomagnets that can precisely target and heat cancer cells, potentially reducing the side effects associated with traditional therapies. By generating controlled heat through magnetic hyperthermia, these nanoparticles offer a promising alternative to conventional cancer treatments. The significant research has been published in the prestigious Nanoscale Advances journal, marking a potential milestone in medical technology.

"Superparamagnetic nanoparticles act as nano-heaters and can potentially be utilised in magnetic hyperthermia applications" - IASST Research Team
New Delhi, April 7: A team of scientists from the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), has developed new magnetic nanoparticles that will help boost treatments against cancer.

Key Points

1

Nanocrystalline cobalt chromite particles enable targeted cancer cell heating

2

Magnetic hyperthermia offers alternative low-side-effect treatment

3

Technique elevates tumor cell temperature to trigger necrosis

4

Published in Royal Society of Chemistry journal

The magnetic system developed using nanoparticles treats cancer by increasing the temperature of tumour cells. The system works through a procedure called magnetic hyperthermia for treating cancer.

Cancer has been considered one of the most threatening diseases for humanity. Of several available treatment methods, the most effective treatments for cancerous cells are radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and stem cell transplant.

All the cancer treatment methods have demonstrated multiple side effects.

In addition to being costly, the treatments are also inaccessible to many.

The team from IASST focused on nanomagnets, which opened a targeted heat generation process (hyperthermia) to treat cancer cells.

The therapy comes with comparatively fewer side effects and is controlled by the magnetic field from outside.

Due to the direct impact of various physical parameters of nanomagnets on the self-heating efficacy, it is challenging to create and control bio-friendly coated magnetic nanoparticles with an effective heat generation efficiency.

Thus, the team synthesised nanocrystalline cobalt chromite magnetic nanoparticles with varying rare-earth Gd dopant contents using the conventional chemical co-precipitation route.

These magnetic nanoparticles' inhomogeneous in fluid form was used further to generate heat under the applied alternating magnetic field."

"The heat generation method of magnetic nanoparticles can be used in treating cancer cells by elevating the cell temperature up to 46 degrees Celsius for a specific duration, causing necrosis in the injured cells when applied to particular cancer locations," the researchers said.

"Thus, superparamagnetic nanoparticles act as nano-heaters and can potentially be utilised in magnetic hyperthermia applications for treating cancer and offering alternative cancer therapy," they added.

The findings have recently been published in Nanoscale Advances, a peer-reviewed journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry, UK.

Reader Comments

P
Priya K.
This is such exciting news! My aunt went through chemo last year and the side effects were brutal. If this new treatment can help reduce suffering, it would be a game-changer. 🙏
R
Rahul S.
Interesting research but I wonder about the long-term effects. Nanoparticles in the body sounds promising but we need more safety studies. Still, great to see Indian scientists leading in medical innovation!
A
Anjali M.
As someone who lost both parents to cancer, this gives me hope for future generations. The article mentions this could be more affordable too - that's crucial for countries like ours.
V
Vikram P.
The science sounds solid but I wish the article explained more about how this compares to existing hyperthermia treatments. Is this a significant improvement or incremental progress?
N
Neha T.
Proud of our Indian researchers! 👏 Hope this gets fast-tracked through clinical trials. The world needs more affordable cancer treatments ASAP.
S
Sanjay R.
While promising, we should temper expectations. Many experimental treatments never make it past trials. That said, any progress against cancer is worth celebrating. Kudos to the team!

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Tags:
Cancer Treatment Magnetic Nanoparticles IASST Nanoscience Medical Research Indian Scientists
You May Like!