DNA nanotubes against cancer

Researchers at McGill University in Montreal (Canada) have just created DNA nanotubes which can deliver "tiny drugs" to diseased cells. The method used: the researchers take the DNA out of its biological context and rather than using the genetic code for life, it acts as a kind of building block for tiny nanometer-scale objects. A DNA structure is only a few nanometers wide but can be 20 000 nanometers long. For your information, a nanometer is equal to one-10 000th the diameter of a hair. The team from the Chemistry Department led by Dr. Hanadi Sleiman hopes to contribute to efforts in medical research. Although Sleiman warns that we're still far from being able to treat diseases with this new technology, it does offer hopes in the future for treatments against cancer. The results are published in the March 14, 2010 issue of Nature's Chemistry. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2CJOb2Q0SY