October 23, 2013

Nanopore opens new cellular doorway for drug transport


A living cell is built with barriers to keep things out – and researchers are constantly trying to find ways to smuggle molecules in. ‪Professor Giovanni Maglia (Biochemistry, Molecular and Structural Biology, KU Leuven) and his team have engineered a biological nanopore that acts as a selective revolving door through a cell’s lipid membrane. The nanopore could potentially be used in gene therapy and targeted drug delivery.