Gold nanoparticles could help make drugs act more quickly and effectively

A new study, co-conducted by Binghamton University Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering Amber Doiron, is one of the first of its kind to look deeper into these nanoparticles in regards to health.
CREDIT
Binghamton University, State University of New York

Exposure of nanoparticles in the body allows for more effective delivery

Gold nanoparticles could help make drugs act more quickly and effectively, according to new research conducted at Binghamton University, State University of New York.

Nanoparticles are microscopic particles that are bigger than atoms but smaller than what the eye can see. They are unique for their large surface area-to-volume ratio and their fairly ubiquitous nature. A new study, co-conducted by Binghamton University Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering Amber Doiron, is one of the first of its kind to look deeper into these nanoparticles in regards to health.

“Nanoparticles are a huge area of research in the scientific community right now. However, they’re not yet well understood for their impact on human health,” said Doiron.

“Nanoparticles have unique properties and, because of that, are used in many applications. They’re in your food and may get into your bloodstream through environmental exposure. Eventually, they may be used for helping to get drugs to tissues or as imaging agents. We wanted to investigate how nanoparticles interact with human cells,” added Doiron.

Doiron and her team looked specifically at the effects that gold nanoparticles have on the health of a cell. They found that nanoparticles can change cells, but only if the particles are a very specific size.

“The nanoparticles have to be around 20 nanometers. Nothing bigger or smaller worked,” said Doiron.

Their research found that when the cells that line arteries or veins are exposed to these nanoparticles, the vascular permeability changes. This could potentially help in more effective medication delivery.

However, the researchers are also aware of some limitations to nanoparticles being used in this way. “It has to be exact, otherwise changing the permeability of veins too much could be extremely dangerous,” said Doiron.

Learn more: Nanoparticles could allow for faster, better medicine

The Latest on: Gold nanoparticles

[google_news title=”” keyword=”Gold nanoparticles” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]

Nanotubes, nanoparticles, and antibodies detect tiny amounts of fentanyl
on May 9, 2024 at 10:32 am
A research team has developed a fentanyl sensor that is six orders of magnitude more sensitive than any electrochemical sensor for the drug reported in the past five years. The portable sensor can ...
Towngas backs TERA-Award winner i2Cool in Series A to drive global green energy expansion
on May 9, 2024 at 8:12 am
The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (Towngas) is pleased to announce its participation in the Series A funding round ...
9 Best Gold IRAs Of May 2024
on May 8, 2024 at 12:46 pm
Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations. A gold IRA allows you to own physical gold bullion while also benefiting from the tax advantages of an individual retirement account.
Researchers can now accurately measure the emergence and damping of a plasmonic field
on May 8, 2024 at 7:54 am
An international research team led by Universität Hamburg, DESY, and Stanford University has developed a new approach to characterize the electric field of arbitrary plasmonic samples, like, for ...
Why researchers have created Goldene, a sheet of gold that is only one atom thick
on May 6, 2024 at 11:06 pm
Creating ‘goldene’, as the one-atom thick material has been named, was not easy for the scientists behind the development, from Sweden’s Linköping University . It is not that such 2D materials have ...
Nanoparticle catalysts convert carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide to make useful compounds
on May 6, 2024 at 9:16 am
As a greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide (CO2) contributes to climate change as it accumulates in the atmosphere. One way to reduce the amount of unwanted CO2 in the atmosphere is to convert the gas into a ...
Multiple sclerosis patients find hope in ‘liquid gold’
on May 1, 2024 at 12:34 pm
The world has over 1.8 million people with multiple sclerosis in the world, according to the World Health Organization in 2023. The Mayo Clinic says it attacks a person’s nervous system, causing ...
Household sprays release dangerous nanoparticles that linger in the home
on May 1, 2024 at 10:30 am
Walking through a recently sprayed area can resuspend nanoparticles in the household up to adult breathing levels.
‘Liquid gold’ could bring new hope to multiple sclerosis patients, study suggests: ‘Profound benefit’
on April 30, 2024 at 2:30 am
Researchers may have hit "gold" when it comes to the treatment of multiple sclerosis.An experimental medication called CNM-Au8 — a drinkable liquid with gold nanocrystals — has shown promising results ...
Solving A 400-Year-Old Alchemical Enigma: The Mystery Behind Purple Gold Explosions?
on April 26, 2024 at 4:01 am
After all, it’s only now, after 400 years of advancements in chemistry and physics, that we’ve finally solved the mystery of how they were creating purple explosions all those years ago. Fulminating ...