Tumor cells penetrated by particles carrying genetic instructions.

Working together, Johns Hopkins biomedical engineers and neurosurgeons report that they have created tiny, biodegradable nanoparticles able to carry DNA to brain cancer cells in mice. The team says the results of their proof of principle experiment suggest that such particles loaded with “death genes” might one day be given to brain cancer patients during neurosurgery to selectively kill off any remaining tumor cells without damaging no…