DNA Nanobots Could Target Diseased Cells With Precision
2014.04.09
Scientists can now reconfigure DNA into tiny bio computers programmed to do whatever we want. They've now successfully used nanobots to complete logic operations inside actual living organisms. The next cockroach you see could be a government spy!
Daniel Levner, a bioengineer at the Wyss Institute at Harvard University, and his colleagues at Bar Ilan University in Ramat-Gan, Israel created DNA with sequences that unravel upon meeting a certain protein.
They were able to create DNA that unravels upon meeting a diseased cell. They then loaded the nanobots with fluorescent markers and drugs and they've been able to deliver the substances to their intended locations. According to Ángel Goñi Moreno of the National Center for Biotechnology in Madrid, Spain:
This is the first time that biological therapy has been able to match how a computer processor works. Unlike electronic devices, which are suitable for our watches, our cars or phones, we can use these robots in life domains, like a living cockroach. This opens the door for environmental or health applications.
Of course, this really isn't for spying. The techniques could be exciting for cancer treatments, making nanobots targeting diseased cells with high levels of precision. [New Scientist]More Articles
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