Nano magnets can destroy the tumor

The tiny magnet made of bacteria can be used to kill tumors, according to researchers at Edinburgh University (Scotland).

Tiny magnets are created in bacteria (Photo: BBC)

The bacteria take iron from the surrounding environment and turn them into a string of magnet particles. They use these beads as a magnet needle to orient themselves and look for oxygen-rich environments.

Scientists at the University of Edinburgh have developed a method to create stronger magnets by using bacteria. These magnets are better than artificial magnets because of their uniform size and shape. They hope that one day the magnet will be directed to the tumor site and then activated to destroy the cancer cells.

Once in place of cancer cells, the inclusion of an inverse magnetic field can cause micro-magnets to heat up, destroying cells in the process. They can also be used to carry drugs directly to cancer tissue.