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Spherical Treatments
Novel approach will aid scientists in optimizing SNAs as therapeutic vaccines to treat cancer.
Researchers are optimizing SNAs, ball-like forms of DNA and RNA arranged on the surface of a nanoparticle.Spherical nucleic acids (SNAs) are ball-like forms of DNA and RNA arranged on the surface of a nanoparticle. A Northwestern team developed a direct route to optimize SNAs, advancing one step closer to making them viable treatment options for many forms of cancer, genetic diseases, neurological disorders, and more.
Researchers can digitally design SNAs to serve as personalized treatments that shut off genes and cellular activity and as vaccines to stimulate the immune system. Professor Chad Mirkin led the research. Professors Milan Mrksich and Neda Bagheri served as coauthors.