Image credit: OSU/Parinaz Ghanbari

Scientists at Oregon State University (OSU) have developed a new nanomaterial that selectively destroys cancer cells by triggering a dual chemical attack inside tumors while sparing healthy tissue.

The study, published in Advanced Functional Materials, describes a novel approach to chemodynamic therapy, an emerging cancer treatment that takes advantage of the unique chemical conditions found in malignant tumors. Cancer cells tend to exist in a more acidic environment and contain higher levels of hydrogen peroxide than normal cells, creating an opportunity for targeted chemical reactions.

The OSU research team, led by Oleh and Olena Taratula and Chao Wang from the College of Pharmacy, designed an iron-based metal-organic framework nanoagent capable of producing two different types of reactive oxygen species inside cancer cells. These highly reactive molecules damage vital cellular components such as proteins, lipids, and DNA, leading to cell death through oxidative stress.

Previous chemodynamic therapies were limited because they typically produced only one type of reactive oxygen species and often lacked the catalytic strength needed for sustained tumor destruction. As a result, earlier studies frequently achieved only partial tumor reduction.

In laboratory tests, the new nanoagent proved highly toxic to multiple cancer cell lines while causing minimal harm to noncancerous cells. In mouse models implanted with human breast cancer cells, the treatment accumulated in tumors, eliminated the cancer completely, and prevented recurrence without detectable side effects.

The researchers plan to test the therapy across additional cancer types, including aggressive pancreatic cancer, before advancing toward human trials.

Source: OSU

The team identified a previously unknown modification involving the addition of up to three arabinose sugars to cytosine in phage DNA. This alteration appears to help protect the phage genome from bacterial defences, allowing the virus to survive and attack harmful bacteria more effectively.

The findings were published in Cell Host & Microbe under the paper titled “Phage arabinosyl-hydroxy-cytosine DNA modifications result in distinct evasion and sensitivity responses to phage defense systems.”

Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that infect and kill bacteria without harming human cells or beneficial microbes. They are viewed as a promising tool against antimicrobial resistance, a growing global health concern. The study found that phages with more arabinose sugars showed stronger resistance to bacterial defence systems such as restriction-modification and CRISPR-Cas mechanisms. Many of these phages target dangerous pathogens including Acinetobacter baumannii, a multidrug-resistant bacterium listed by the World Health Organization as a critical priority pathogen due to its role in severe infections like pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis.

Dr Liang Cui, Principal Research Scientist at SMART AMR and co-corresponding author of the study, said the discovery deepens scientific understanding of the complex relationship between phages and bacteria and could guide the development of more effective phage-based therapies. Professor Peter Fineran, Molecular Microbiologist at the University of Otago and co-author, noted that uncovering how phages modify their DNA to evade bacterial attacks could lead to advances in genetic engineering of therapeutic phages.

The study was supported by the National Research Foundation Singapore under the CREATE programme and the Agilent ACT-UR programme, with additional funding from the Royal Society of New Zealand and the Tertiary Education Commission New Zealand.

The project was led by SMART’s Antimicrobial Resistance research group in collaboration with Nanyang Technological University, the University of Florida, the University at Albany, Lodz University of Technology, and MIT.

Current methods to study RNA modifications are slow, expensive, and involve hazardous chemicals. To overcome these limits, the SMART team designed an automated system that uses robotics to prepare and analyze samples safely and efficiently. The system can profile thousands of tRNA modifications in a fraction of the time, reducing costs and risks while increasing research capacity.

In their study, published in Nucleic Acids Research, the researchers used the tool to analyze more than 5,700 genetically modified strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium that causes pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and wound infections. By processing over 200,000 data points, the system revealed previously unknown RNA-modifying enzymes and mapped gene networks that control how bacteria adapt to stress. One discovery showed that the enzyme MiaB, which modifies tRNA, is highly sensitive to iron, sulfur, and low oxygen levels.

The team explained that this large-scale profiling provides a clearer view of the epitranscriptome, the collection of all RNA modifications in cells. It allows scientists to validate theories, discover new biology, and identify molecular targets for drugs and diagnostics. Professor Peter Dedon of MIT noted that the tool represents a major advance in decoding RNA’s role in disease and could speed up the development of targeted therapies against cancer and resistant infections.

The system also has applications in industry. Pharmaceutical and biotech companies can use it for drug discovery, biomarker screening, and evaluating how treatments affect RNA modifications. Dr. Jingjing Sun, first author of the paper, said the tool makes large-scale epitranscriptomic analysis practical for the first time, opening the door to new diagnostics and therapeutic targets.

SMART plans to expand the tool’s use to human cells and tissues, with the aim of translating the technology into clinical research. This would accelerate the search for biomarkers and personalized treatments for cancer and infectious diseases. The work is supported by Singapore’s National Research Foundation through the CREATE program.

SMART CAMP Senior Research Engineer Shruthi Pandi Chelvam using the UV absorbance spectrometer to measure the absorbance spectra of cell culture samples

Researchers from the Critical Analytics for Manufacturing Personalized-Medicine (CAMP), an Interdisciplinary Research Group (IRG) of the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), ASTAR Skin Research Labs (ASRL), and the National University of Singapore (NUS), have developed a novel method for rapid and automated detection of microbial contamination in cell therapy products (CTPs).

The approach uses ultraviolet (UV) absorbance spectroscopy to scan cell culture fluids, combined with machine learning to identify contamination patterns. This new technique provides a simple yes/no contamination result within 30 minutes using a small sample volume—far quicker and more resource-efficient than traditional sterility tests that can take up to 14 days.

This rapid testing is particularly valuable for critically ill patients who urgently need cell therapies, as delays due to lengthy sterility assessments can be life-threatening.

Cell therapy holds promise for treating cancers, inflammatory conditions, and degenerative diseases by restoring or replacing damaged cells. However, current sterility testing methods are labor-intensive and slow, requiring microbial growth in enrichment media, and are highly dependent on skilled personnel. Even rapid microbiological methods (RMMs) still require several days and complex procedures.

In contrast, SMART CAMP’s method is non-invasive, label-free, and compatible with automation. It avoids staining and cell extraction, requires no incubation or enrichment steps, and does not rely on specialised equipment—resulting in lower costs and greater efficiency. These features make it well-suited for early-stage contamination monitoring during manufacturing.

“This method enables continuous safety checks during production and allows timely corrective actions when contamination is suspected. RMMs can then be used more selectively, reducing costs and accelerating production,” said Shruthi Pandi Chelvam, Senior Research Engineer at SMART CAMP and first author of the study, published in Scientific Reports.

“Cell therapy manufacturing is traditionally laborious and prone to variability. By integrating machine learning and automation, we aim to streamline this process and reduce contamination risk. Our method enables scheduled, automated sampling and early detection without manual intervention,” added Prof Rajeev Ram, Principal Investigator at SMART CAMP, MIT Professor, and corresponding author of the paper.

Future work will expand the method’s ability to detect a wider range of microbial contaminants relevant to cGMP settings and CTP manufacturing, and validate it across more cell types beyond mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The approach may also be adapted for microbial quality control in food and beverage production.

This research is supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF) Singapore under its Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE) programme.

Vitamin A deficiency is a major global health concern, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where it affects about one-third of preschool-aged children. Conventional efforts to add the vitamin to staple foods like bread and bouillon cubes have struggled due to the nutrient’s instability.

The MIT team used a polymer called BMC, already approved for use in coatings for drugs and supplements, to create vitamin A microparticles. These particles were found to withstand heat, light, and humidity far better than existing fortification methods. In a clinical trial, participants who ate bread fortified with encapsulated vitamin A absorbed the nutrient at levels comparable to taking it directly, demonstrating its effectiveness.

Two companies have licensed the technology to integrate it into food products. Particles for Humanity, backed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is working on applications in Africa, while VitaKey aims to expand its use across various food and beverage products.

This advancement offers a promising solution for improving vitamin A intake in vulnerable populations without altering their diets or routines.

(Photo from MIT)

MIT and Novo Nordisk researchers have developed an ingestible capsule that can deliver drugs directly into the walls of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, offering a needle-free alternative to injections. Inspired by squids’ jet propulsion, the capsule uses compressed gas or a spring mechanism to release a burst of medication into the digestive tissue.

The innovation could benefit patients requiring insulin, antibodies, or RNA-based therapies. Unlike traditional capsules that dissolve in the stomach, this device actively injects its payload into the submucosal layer, ensuring higher absorption rates.

The researchers designed the capsules to target different parts of the digestive tract. One version has a tube-like shape, enabling it to align within long tubular organs. Another version can be attached to an endoscope for targeted drug delivery during medical procedures.

Tests in animals showed that the capsule successfully delivered insulin, a diabetes drug, and gene-silencing RNA at levels comparable to standard injections, without causing tissue damage. The researchers believe this could make treatments more accessible and convenient, particularly for patients who dislike needles.

Future plans include further testing and potential human trials to refine the technology for real-world applications.

Gold nanoparticles, particularly triangular ones, show promise in both drug delivery and photothermal therapy, where they absorb light and generate heat to destroy tumor cells. However, successful treatment depends on nanoparticles reaching their targets. The researchers addressed this by using DNA barcodes, allowing them to track nanoparticle interactions within the body and optimize their design for better uptake by cancer cells.

The study revealed that round nanoparticles, though less effective in cell cultures, performed well in preclinical tumor models due to lower immune clearance. Triangular nanoparticles excelled in both settings, demonstrating strong uptake and photothermal properties. These findings demonstrate the need to reconsider nanoparticle design beyond traditional spherical shapes.

Expanding their work, the team plans to test 30 nanoparticle designs for organ-specific targeting and gene-silencing applications, potentially improving RNA delivery techniques for various diseases. According to Tay, their approach overcomes a major hurdle in nanomedicine, that is, ensuring precise drug delivery tailored to different organs, enhancing both safety and effectiveness.

The team found that within the tumor’s microenvironment—a network of cells and molecules that protect cancer cells—T cells lose their ability to absorb lipids, which are essential for energy. Senior researcher Dr. Juan Cubillos-Ruiz explained that T cells rely on lipids for fuel, but ovarian tumors disrupt this process by trapping a protein, FABP5, inside T cells. Without access to the cell surface, FABP5 cannot absorb lipids to support T cell activity against the tumor.

Other read: Key Protein Identified in Aggressive Prostate Cancer Progression

Dr. Sung-Min Hwang, lead author of the study, identified Transgelin 2 as a protein that usually escorts FABP5 to the cell surface. However, ovarian tumors suppress Transgelin 2 production in T cells through the activation of the transcription factor XBP1, effectively blocking lipid uptake and crippling T cell energy.

To address this, researchers engineered CAR T cells with a modified Transgelin 2 gene that resists suppression by the tumor’s stress factors. This enhancement enabled the modified CAR T cells to absorb lipids, resulting in a significantly stronger response against ovarian tumors in preclinical models. This breakthrough points to new strategies for improving T cell-based therapies in solid tumors like ovarian cancer.

This research is supported by the NIH, Department of Defense, and other organizations, and was conducted in collaboration with various external partners to drive forward scientific innovation.

The research team includes Dr. Lee Khai Wooi and Dr. Ng Jeck Fei, lecturers from Taylor’s University’s School of Biosciences and School of Pharmacy, Taylor’s PhD graduate Dr. Tan Foo Hou, and Universiti Putra Malaysia academic Associate Professor Dr. Noorjahan Banu Mohammed Alitheen.

VLPs, derived from viruses but lacking harmful genetic material, are valuable for training the immune system to combat infections. They can also be modified to deliver drugs and genes directly into cells. However, producing VLPs in cells like Escherichia coli (E. coli) often results in a mix of VLPs and unwanted cellular proteins that require separation, usually through costly and time-consuming methods like chromatography.

Dr. Lee explains, “Instead of using expensive immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography columns, we explored a simpler technique using free metal ions to capture histagged VLPs and precipitate them. His-tags are small handles that latch onto the free metal ions, holding the VLPs together.”

The team found that adding free transition metal ions such as nickel, iron, zinc, copper, cobalt, or calcium caused the his-tags to cluster, forming VLP clumps that could easily be separated from unwanted proteins based on size.

One challenge the researchers faced was visualizing the structural binding of metal ions with histags, given the complexity of the protein clumps. They are now examining this interaction using isothermal calorimetry.

After testing the method on the turnip yellow mosaic virus, commonly found in plants like broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower, the team aims to apply the technique, named “MetalTag VLP Master,” to other VLP systems and scale it up for industrial production. The method eliminates the need for chromatography columns, reducing both costs and processing time by using a centrifuge, a standard piece of equipment in labs and industries.

“We are currently filing a patent for the MetalTag VLP Master method,” said Dr. Lee. “Our hope is that if adapted for biopharmaceutical production, this method could lead to more affordable vaccines and medicines for consumers by optimizing the manufacturing process.”

MSCs are promising therapeutic agents for cartilage regeneration, and they have the potential to help create new cartilage tissue within the body. Previously, assessing the potential of these cells for effective cartilage regeneration involved culturing them in a complex 3D environment for a lengthy period of 21 days. The novel method developed by Camp researchers involves a simpler 2D monolayer culture system of the cells for 9 days, followed by imaging and processing of the images. The method is non-destructive, more accurate, and faster – requiring only 9 days. This could significantly accelerate the development of cartilage regeneration therapies.

According to Dr Ekta Makhija, lead author of the paper and Research Scientist at Smart Camp, the innovative approach to evaluating MSC effectiveness for cartilage repair represents a significant advancement by enabling non-destructive evaluation of MSCs and reducing the assessment period to a mere nine days.

In their study published in Plos One, Smart Camp found that irregularities in the self-assembly of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) could indicate their ability to regenerate cartilage. By analyzing cell patterns over time, they identified liquid crystal-like structures with defects that correlated with early cartilage development markers. This method offers a more reliable alternative to traditional approaches, allowing for faster assessment of MSCs’ potential for cartilage regeneration. Moving forward, researchers are focusing on collective MSC behavior, offering a promising avenue for identifying effective candidates for future therapies.

Dr Zhiyong Poon, Principal Investigator at Smart Camp, Senior Research Fellow at Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and a corresponding author of the paper adds that this method offers a

major advantage for manufacturers to conduct more frequent testing of their cell-based medicine, ensuring safety, purity, and effectiveness throughout production. This can potentially speed up the traditionally long process of securing regulatory approval for cell-based medicines, he said.

Professor Eng Hin Lee, Principal Investigator at Smart Camp and Emeritus Professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, stated that the new method signifies an important advancement in approaching cartilage regeneration. By providing a more efficient way to evaluate MSCs during production, it can hasten the development of therapies for joint injuries and common ailments like osteoarthritis, particularly prevalent in the aging population. This addresses limitations of current surgical and pharmaceutical approaches in restoring cartilage function.

The next phase for SMART researchers involves assessing whether these patterns can similarly predict the effectiveness of MSCs for cartilage repair in living organisms. This research, supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF) Singapore through its Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE) program, aims to advance our understanding in this field.