Tuesday, 31st October 2006 (4569 views)

Gold nanoparticles are proving instrumental in the detection of specific microRNAs, which are central to the development of certain cancers.

Dr Robert Corn from the University of California-Irvine has led a new research paper where gold nanoparticles were utilised, along with surface plasmon, in the hunt for the microRNAs for biological sampling.

The enzyme polymerase was then added to the microRNA molecules and then gold nanoparticles became bound to the polytails of the microRNAs.

Due to the easy detection of the gold nanoparticles, there was efficient quantification using surface plasmon resonance imaging.

Now that cancer researchers have a quicker tool for accurately detecting microRNAs, new diagnostic tests for cancer may be invented.

Results were analysed and an article called Attomole microarray detection of microRNAs by nanoparticle-amplified SPR imaging measurements of surface polyadenylation reactions, has been written for the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Dr Corn completed his BA qualification in chemistry at San Diego's branch of the University of California before doing his PhD qualification in 1983 at Berkeley.

 

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