Peixuan Guo, a nanotech researcher at the University of Cincinnati, has already been doing some groundbreaking work in harnessing DNA and RNA for "nanomotors" to be used in targeted drug delivery. Now, the National Cancer Institute is rewarding--and encouraging--that work with a $2.4 million grant.
The Business Courier reports that the five-year grant will help create a team of experts to focus on constructing RNA nanoparticles for specific targeting of cancer cells and drug delivery to the cells. They'll try to developing new ways to screen for stable segments of RNA that can target and enter cancer cells for possible use in ovarian cancer, liver cancer and leukemia. The grant is part of NCI's Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer program, which includes investment of about $30 million per year for the next five years to more than 30 investigators across the country.
Guo uses a combination of RNA and synthetic motors to try to achieve the perfect nanomachine for drug delivery.
- check out Guo's website, which contains links to his RNA work
- and read the report in the Business Courier