Lab study shows tumor-invading protein delivers therapy straight to the brain

Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Cancer; Caltech; California State University, Northridge; and Technion-Israel Institute in Haifa, Israel, have designed nanobioparticles that can cross the protective blood–brain barrier and deliver therapy directly into cancerous tumor cells. The findings could help clinicians target brain tumors previously unreachable by chemotherapy. The investigators conducted experiments using a unique blood-brain barrier "organ chip." When investigators flowed the nanobioparticles through the blood vessel portion of the chip, they saw that it crossed over and accumulated in the brain matter.