Laser-fired gold pyramids could help tackle cancer

(Credit: Harvard SEAS)

By heating the tips of the pyramids to 300°C with nanosecond laser pulses, the team created tiny bubbles that could push into cell membranes without causing damage. The brief opening of cell pores allowed surrounding molecules to diffuse into the cell. Published in the journal ACS Nano, the work has wide-ranging implications for healthcare.

"Being able to effectively deliver large and diverse cargos directly into cells will transform biomedical research," said first author Nabiha Saklayen, a PhD candidate from the Harvard John A Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS).

"However, no current single delivery system can do all the things you need to do at once. Intracellular delivery systems need to be highly efficient, scalable, and cost-effective while at the same time able to carry diverse cargo and deliver it to specific cells on a surface without damage. It's a really big challenge."