We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
INTEGRA BIOSCIENCES AG

Download Mobile App




Experimental Physicists Find Clues into How Radiotherapy Kills Cancer Cells

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 29 Oct 2014
Print article
A new discovery in experimental physics has implications for a better determination of the process in which radiotherapy destroys cancer cells.

Dr. Jason Greenwood from Queen’s University Belfast (Ireland) Center for Plasma Physics collaborated with scientists from Italy and Spain on the work on electrons, and published this groundbreaking finding October 17, 2014, in the international journal Science. By means of some of the shortest laser pulses, the researchers employed strobe lighting to monitor the ultra-fast movement of the electrons within a nanometer-sized molecule of amino acid. The resulting oscillations—lasting for 4,300 attoseconds—amount to the fastest process ever observed in a biologic structure.

Dr. Greenwood said, “Explaining how electrons move on the nanoscale is crucial for the understanding of a range of processes in matter as it is this charge which initiates many biological, chemical, and electrical processes. For instance, the charge produced from the interaction of ionizing radiation with DNA and its subsequent ultra-fast movement can lead to damage of the DNA and cell death which is exploited in radiotherapy to treat cancer. This knowledge is therefore important for understanding the action of radiotherapy beams in cancer treatment. Being able to describe how light interacts with electrons on these timescales could also lead to improvements in how light is converted into electricity in solar cells or faster microprocessors, which use light rather than electrical signals for switching transistors.”

The research was performed by Queen’s School of Mathematics and Physics in collaboration with the Politecnico Milano (Italy), the Universidad Autónoma of Madrid (Spain), University of Trieste (Italy), and Institute of Photonics and Nanotechnologies IFN-CNR (Padua, Italy).

Dr. Greenwood concluded, “This research will hopefully open up the emerging field of attosecond science which seeks to understand how ultrafast electrons play a key role in chemistry, biology and nanotechnology. This is very early research but this new field of ultrafast light-induced electronics is likely to have an impact in biology, chemistry and materials in the next five to 10 years. Practical applications down the line may include improvements in cancer radiotherapy, highly efficient solar cells, and much faster computer processors.”

Related Links:

Queen’s University Belfast
Politecnico Milano 
Universidad Autónoma of Madrid 


New
Gold Member
Pneumocystis Jirovecii Detection Kit
Pneumocystis Jirovecii Real Time RT-PCR Kit
Antipsychotic TDM Assays
Saladax Antipsychotic Assays
New
Gold Member
Clostridium Difficile Toxins Test
Clostridium Difficile Toxins Real Time RT-PCR Kit
New
Cortisol Rapid Test
Finecare Cortisol Rapid Quantitative Test

Print article

Channels

Clinical Chemistry

view channel
Image: The new saliva-based test for heart failure measures two biomarkers in about 15 minutes (Photo courtesy of Trey Pittman)

POC Saliva Testing Device Predicts Heart Failure in 15 Minutes

Heart failure is a serious condition where the heart muscle is unable to pump sufficient oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. It ranks as a major cause of death globally and is particularly fatal for... Read more

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel
Image: Schematic overview of maternal biomarker discovery using cell-free RNA during pregnancy (Photo courtesy of Circulation Research (2024). DOI: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.124.325024)

Maternal Blood Test Identifies Congenital Heart Diseases in Fetus

Each year, around 1,000 children are born with a single ventricle heart defect (SVHD), a condition where one of the heart's lower chambers is underdeveloped, too small, or missing a valve.... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: QScout CBC will give a complete blood count in 2 minutes from fingerstick or venous blood (Photo courtesy of Ad Astra Diagnostics)

Next Gen CBC and Sepsis Diagnostic System Targets Faster, Earlier, Easier Results

Every hour is critical in protecting patients from infections, yet there are currently limited tools to assist in early diagnosis before patients reach a hospital. The complete blood count (CBC) is a common... Read more

Microbiology

view channel
Image: The InfectoSynovia test has the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

High-Accuracy Bedside Test to Diagnose Periprosthetic Joint Infection in Five Minutes

Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) represents a significant global issue that is worsening as the number of joint replacements increases due to aging populations. In the United States alone, the anticipated... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image

AI-Based Method Shows Promise for Pathological Diagnosis of Hereditary Kidney Diseases

Alport syndrome is a hereditary kidney disorder characterized by kidney dysfunction, sensorineural hearing loss, and ocular abnormalities. Early in the disease, patients experience hematuria, which is... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.