Xi'an Jiaotong University makes breakthrough in cancer treatment

Two scientific research achievements on biomedical materials were released by Xi’an Jiaotong University in Shaanxi province on June 29, one of which may be adaptable to future cancer treatment.

The newly developed medical technology protects healthy cells by only targeting cancerous cells and at the same time inhibiting the metastasizing of tumors.

According to Chen Xin, a researcher in the cancer treatment program at the university’s School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, the newly created "micro reactor" carries drugs into the body and releases them when tumor cells are accurately targeted.

The drug carrier is made of nano-composite medical materials which can both accurately identify tumor cells and help regenerate defective tissue around tumors after surgery, Chen explained.

The other achievement is the usage of a nano-scale noble metal in skeletal muscle repair.

The new material can replace the nanoscale noble metal used in traditional treatment, which lowers the surgical risks, reduces the side-effects of traditional drug therapy and largely cuts down on treatment expenses.

Lei Bo, researcher at the Biomed Centre of the Research Institute of Frontier Science and Technology, explained that the newly developed biomaterial administered by injection can stimulate the formation of skeletal muscle in situ, and help athletes recover after muscle injury.

"Meanwhile, it can improve muscle regeneration in patients with muscular atrophy", he added.