Nanotechnology and Cancer Treatments
Nanotechnology used in cancer treatment.Copyright 2006 Kristian Molhave, Opensource Handbook of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MolecularImagingTherapy.jpg
Students learn about the biomedical use of nanoparticles in the detection and treatment of cancer, including the use of quantum dots and lasers that heat-activate nanoparticles. They also learn about electrophoresis—a laboratory procedure that uses an electric field to move tiny particles through a channel in order to separate them by size. They complete an online virtual mini-lab, with accompanying worksheet, to better understand gel electrophoresis. This prepares them for the associated activity—to write draft research proposals to use nanoparticles to protect against, detect or treat skin cancer.
Because nanoparticles are very good imaging agents, biomedical engineers are focusing on the use of nanoparticles in cancer diagnosis and treatment. For example, since gold nanoparticles absorb light and produce heat, they design infrared lasers to superheat the gold nanoparticle and destroy cancerous cells through heat. This application shows promise in breast and prostate cancers that are fairly close to the body surface and readily accessed by the laser light. By learning more about this field, students gain a better understanding of current biomedical engineering research, as well as potential solutions to real-world human problems.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Define and discuss practical uses of nanoparticles and quantum dots in current biomedical research.
- Complete a virtual laboratory to study electrophoresis, a commonly used laboratory tool.