Nanoparticle research to target disease and data transmission

The team - co-led by the University of Michigan, the Centre for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials-CIC biomaGUNE, the University of Vigo, and the University of Antwerp - has received €9.3m from the European Research Council to conduct the research.

They aim to design a machine-learning model that can predict which nanoparticle structures will bind to specific biomolecules, such as proteins on the cell walls of pathogens.

Selective binding to various proteins and lipids is useful in detecting and treating diseases; nanoparticles designed to twist like their protein targets have already been used to detect molecular signs of Parkinson's disease and lung cancer in laboratory studies.

The chirality of the nanoparticles determines how strongly they bind with certain proteins and impacts whether they absorb or twist specific colours and orientations of light. Researchers can detect the change to confirm the presence of the target protein. Light can also be used to selectively heat the protein, destroying harmful cells attached to the nanoparticles.