‘Backpacking’ bacteria could deliver nanomedicine throughout the body

Scientists reported on the progress of developing ‘backpacking’ bacteria at the 243rd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS). Generally, nanotechnological devices lack practical self-sustaining motors to move particles of medication and other material to diseased parts of the body. Since bacteria have self-propulsion systems that can direct them to certain parts of the body, they could assist in transporting materials. Their ‘backpacks’ are micro- or nanosized molecules or devices that have useful optical, electrical, magnetic, electrical or medicinal properties. The research team has already loaded beads, nanowires and lithographically fabricated nanostructures onto bacteria. “Cargo-carrying bacteria may be an answer to a major roadblock in using nano-medicine to prevent, diagnose and treat disease,” David H. Gracias, leader of the research team said.