Researchers from Arizona State University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing have used these Nana robots to find a cure for cancer. Instead of killing the cancer cells, it blocks their blood supply by targeting the blood vessel around the tumor.

Suffering from a disease is a common thing whether its a short-term or chronic ailment. The disease, although starting at a molecular level but can only be detected when symptoms occur.

Atoms and molecules are so small that any deformity in them could not be detected easily. Our body is made up of chemicals containing atoms, molecules and the interaction between them. So if the cause is not found properly, then the cure is impossible to find. Even in the case of medicines, some medicines suite to one person, some don’t. All these medicines that are available in the market are such precise mixture of different molecules that even the slightest mistake could ruin the result. Such precision requires experienced manpower, high-end machinery and a lot of expenses. Also, it cannot be customized according to the patient.

But this is not a trouble anymore with NANO sized ROBOTS.

These ROBOTS have the capability of manipulating a compound having 150 molecules and build new and efficient drugs. These are also helpful in detecting an ailment. They can easily be moved inside the body and can trace and detect the amount of infection.

This is possible because of their extremely small size. If they could be stacked one above the other then billions of them would just make one grain.

Robotics is considered, a branch of physics but here it’s just chemistry i.e, being used.

These ROBOTS are made by chemical reaction between different elements. Also, these receive a command by chemical input only.

Researchers from Arizona State University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing have used these Nana robots to find a cure for cancer. Instead of killing the cancer cells, it blocks their blood supply by targeting the blood vessel around the tumor. Although it can cause a problem in mature adults where no new blood vessels are formed but it can be a boon to the person where there is a scope of regenerating blood vessels. Although the research work is done only on mice, results are awesome. Thrombin which is a blood clotting enzyme is attached to the surface which clots the blood supply feeding tumors. Till now few are completely cured but others have shown increased survival time.

This is a boon to the pharmaceutical industry as it also reduces metal craps, expenditure and increased research in various mysteries that are unsolved and help to build various other products.

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© SciComm/ Priyanka (priyanka@scicomm.in)