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University of Florida scientists have developed a new nanoparticle that could improve cancer detection and drug delivery. The particle, called a “micelle” and made up of a cluster of molecules called aptamers, easily recognizes tumors and binds strongly to them. It also has properties that allow it to easily get inside cells for intracellular studies and drug delivery.

“That is important, because we could attach a drug to the aptamer so that the drug could get into a cell,” said Yanrong Wu, who recently completed her doctoral research at UF. Wu was the first author of a paper describing the findings in January in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

In allowing more targeted treatment of diseased cells, the micelles would help reduce damage to healthy cells even with large doses of chemotherapy. Current methods often destroy normal cells while trying to kill tumor…

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