Carbon Nanotubes Deliver in Medicine

Khuloud T. Al-Jamal states that attaching compounds to the carbon nanotubes turns them into powerful tools for imaging and targeted therapies. Khuloud T. Al-Jamal and her colleagues are investigating carbon nanotubes them for medical applications. They have found that the elongated structure and large surface area of carbon nanotubes has potential for drug delivery, as they can cross cell membranes and access the cytoplasm of cancer cells. Multiple drugs or genes, or even radio-labeled imaging agents, can be attached to their large surface area or fill the tubes themselves, and be carried across cellular barriers.