The new protein cage design for advanced drug delivery systems has been unveiled by researchers.

Durham, UK – An international team of researchers from The Centre for Programmable Matter at Durham University and the Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University in Poland have made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of drug delivery systems.

Their collaboration has resulted in the creation of a novel artificial protein cage that shows great potential in the delivery of advanced medical treatments. This highly adaptable cage, based on a ring-shaped scaffold made of TRAP proteins, features strategically placed metal-binding sites which allow it to self-assemble into strong and organized structures when exposed to cobalt or zinc ions. The hollow core of these cages has the ability to carry therapeutic cargo.

The most significant aspect of this discovery is that the cages are highly stable but can be triggered to open and release their cargo under specific disease conditions, such as changes in pH found in certain forms of cancer.

According to Professor Jonathan Heddle of Durham University, “To have a highly stable nano-sized transport container that only opens up to release a toxic cargo when it reaches a diseased cell is a big challenge, and we think this work takes us a little closer to that goal.”

The team of researchers believes that these protein cages have the potential to serve as a versatile platform for advanced biomedical applications. Their findings have been published in Macromolecular Rapid Communications and can be accessed in full here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/MARC.202400712.

Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.

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