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(Funded by the National Institutes of Health)
Drugs that help prevent the formation of unwanted or harmful proteins are currently being developed to treat a number of diseases, including cancer. The drugs are based on small interfering RNA (siRNA), which are pieces of nucleic acids that interfere with the production of proteins. But getting these drugs to the right target remains challenging because siRNAs can degrade rapidly in the body. Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and colleagues report on a hydrogel-based carrier that can deliver siRNAs directly to where they are needed.
