Researchers use nanotechnology to develop new treatment for endometriosis

Scientists at Oregon State University and Oregon Health & Science University have developed a precise, nanotechnology-based treatment to alleviate the pain and fertility problems associated with endometriosis, a common gynecological condition in women of childbearing age. The researchers used tiny – less than 100 nanometers in size – polymeric materials packed with a dye that can generate both a fluorescence signal and cell-killing heat under near-infrared light. For doctors, that means this technology can be both an imaging tool and a lesion-removal technique.