SUTD Researchers Leverage Novel Nanotechnology to Control Cells Over Long Periods

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SUTD Researchers Leverage Novel Nanotechnology to Control Cells Over Long Periods2023-09-08T17:41:47+08:00

SUTD – Denise Lee, J Shamita Naikar, Sophia S. Y. Chan, Maria Prisca Meivita, Lunna Li, Yaw Sing Tan, Natasa Bajalovic and Desmond K. Loke

The careful introduction of cancer-related molecules into cells using precise dosage is required in cancer drug delivery. However, a challenge arises from delivering these molecules in living cells while preserving their function and viability (the number of live cells in a sample).

Schematic of the nanosecond electroporation platform (left panel) and the graph showing long recovery times (right panel).

Schematic of the nanosecond electroporation platform (left panel) and the graph showing long recovery times (right panel).

Nanosecond electroporation is a promising strategy to achieve excellent cell viability. Nanosecond electroporation operation, which is the application of electrical pulses in nanosecond timescales at localized regions of the cell membrane, leads to the formation of resealable pores. The cancer-related molecules are then delivered into living cells nondestructively by researchers.

A version of the nanosecond electroporation platform has been developed by researchers from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and A*STAR Bioinformatics Institute (BII). The platform allows pores to remain open for approximately 720 minutes, which is about 10 times longer than that achieved in current state-of-the-art electroporation systems.

Moreover, the platform shows a high electrical conductivity with an increase in number of pulses using a weak electrical voltage. This helps maintain excellent cell viability that is pivotal to applications like cancer-drug delivery and other applications.

You can find more details at https://sutd.edu.sg/Research/Research-News/2023/8/novel-nanotechnology-control-cells-long-periods