TITLE

Can nanopulses heal?

AUTHOR(S)

Ananthaswamy, Anil

PUB. DATE

February 2004

SOURCE

New Scientist;2/7/2004, Vol. 181 Issue 2433, p17

SOURCE TYPE

Periodical

DOC. TYPE

Article

ABSTRACT

The article reports, that a method that would allow doctors to tweak the innards of cells without even touching a patient's body is being developed in the U.S. The technique is still in its infancy, and it is still not clear exactly what it does to cells. But initial experiments suggest it might one day be possible to use the technique to treat cancer, speed up healing or even tackle obesity. The method involves exposing cells to an extremely powerful electric field for very brief periods. These nanosecond-pulsed electric fields are too brief to generate an electric charge across the outer membrane of cells, but they do affect structures within cells.

ACCESSION #

12330809

Tags: CYTOLOGY -- Research;  CANCER -- Treatment;  DEVELOPMENTAL cytology;  OBESITY;  CYTOLOGY;  CELLS

 

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