Clusters of hot magnetic nanoparticles, acting on cell membranes, can allow remote control of ion channels, neurons and even animal behavior, as has been demonstrated in a series of experiments conducted by physicists at the University at Buffalo (State University of New York).

The research has a wide range of possible applications, and potentially could lead to innovative cancer treatments, by which distance would be possible to manipulate specific proteins or cells in specific tissues or against diabetes, by which they stimulate, distance the pancreatic cells to release insulin.

The work also could be used for developing new therapies for treating neurological diseases that result from insufficient neurostimulation.

Since this research has led to the development of a method of using magnetic fields to stimulate the cells in both laboratory cultures and in cells within a living body, will also be useful to unravel the intricacies of signaling networks that control animal behavior. (more…)

The purple bacteria were one of the earliest forms of life on Earth. They are microscopic unicellular organisms play a vital role in helping sustain the tree of life. This small organism lives in aquatic environments such as lake bottoms or coral reefs under the sea, and use sunlight as an energy source. Its natural system to do that seems the best structural solution for harnessing solar energy. A team of researchers think they could adapt their cellular structure for use in solar panels and other energy conversion devices, and so have a more efficient way of obtaining energy from the sun. (more…)