Researchers from Johns Hopkins and Northwestern universities
have discovered how to control the shape of nanoparticles that move DNA through
the body and have shown that the shapes of these carriers may make a big
difference in how well they work in treating cancer and other diseases.
his study, published in the Oct. 12 online edition of
Advanced Materials, is also noteworthy because this gene therapy technique does
not use a virus to carry DNA into cells. Some gene therapy efforts that rely on
viruses have posed health risks.