Cancer treatment may be entering its most precise — and microscopic — phase yet.
Researchers at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm have developed a new class of DNA nanobots that can locate and destroy cancer cells while leaving healthy tissue untouched. It’s not just a concept — they’ve tested it on mice, and the results are stunning.
Here’s how it works: Using a technique called DNA origami, scientists folded strands of DNA into intricate nano-structures. These tiny machines carry a “weapon” made up of six small peptides, carefully packed inside the nanobot.
The catch? This deadly payload stays locked — unless the nanobot detects the unique acidic environment around a tumor (pH ~6.5). In healthy parts of the body (pH ~7.4), the system stays sealed and safe.
Once inside a tumor, the nanobot activates. The acidic conditions trigger it to “open,” releasing the peptides. These then bind to receptors on the cancer cells, triggering programmed cell death — a form of clean, controlled destruction.
In mouse trials with breast tumors, the nanobots slashed tumor growth by around 70%.
Even more exciting? This isn’t a one-size-fits-all attack. The team plans to train the nanobots to recognize different kinds of cancer by modifying their surface molecules, allowing for customized targeting.
The next step? Testing in more complex cancer models and scanning for side effects.
The research, published in Nature Nanotechnology, feels like sci-fi meets oncology — but it’s very real. And if successful in humans, it could change how we think about chemotherapy forever.