NUS scientist designs express courier service for immune cells

This is an awesome technological application of carbon nanotubules within biomedical engineering, which I thought I'd share as it really ticked the boxes in terms of my science interests.

Dr Andy Tay at the National University of Singapore has developed a novel 'transfection' methodology for the transfer of modified DNA sections into a patient's immune cells, in essence sending them whooshing through carbon nanotubules which are set up akin the cell membrane & then electrically stimulated in a targeted manner, to increase porosity of the cell membranes, allowing for easier transit of the DNA sections into each cell. I say 'whooshing' because the electrostatic forces applied to the carbon nanotubules to increase cell membrane porosity also have the effect of sucking the DNA through the nanotubule, like a bullet down a rifled barrel, in a manner of speaking.

ETA - The field of operations is immunotherapy for cancer-fighting purposes at this stage.

This technology is patented & licensed to a start-up in the USA, and is called NANO-ELECTRO-INJECTION, and I think we'll be hearing of many more of its applicable uses in biomedical sciences in the near future. There are several efficiency benefits to the use of this technique over & above existing techniques for DNA transfection, which you can read about in the article! Enjoy...

NUS scientist designs 'express courier service' for immune cells

Spoiler - he's now working on a version of this technique which also applies the use of magnets. I like the way he thinks!

Genetic modification, nano, and magnets?

I don't know man. Sounds pretty scary.

Jeez we thought acid rain was bad, Imagine delivering this through rain clouds and then zap the ionosphere with Haarp to activate a change in genome to everything that absorbed the condensate? I wonder what could be done with lots of dark money, and a properly executed plan...