Can the world’s smallest nano-thermometer be used to diagnose cancer early? Chinese team sees ray of hope in new breakthrough
Researchers find way to gauge the temperature of ‘sick’ cells by injecting them with light-emitting particles, or ‘quantum dots’
Chinese scientists claim to have developed the world’s smallest thermometer, which is capable of measuring the temperature of individual cells and gauging their health.
Some believe the technological breakthrough will later find important applications in cancer therapy.
Each instrument is made of tiny particles only a few nanometers in diameter. The minuscule particles contain light-emitting materials that makes it easy for them to enter a living cell.
As the cell’s temperature rises, the particles produce increasingly stronger light - producing a visual effect akin to glowing fish swimming in a lake at night, but on a dramatically smaller scale.
“This will help our fight against cancer,” said Dr Han Rongcheng, a lead scientist of the research project. Han works with the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology in Beijing.
Scientists have long been aware that tumour cells can be killed by very high temperatures, but the clinical use of thermal therapy has been extremely limited due to the collateral damage on healthy cells.
