Mandi, Jun 14 (UNI) A research team from Indian Institute of Technology Mandi has developed complex nano-dimensional capsules that can be used for multimodal imaging and treatment of tumours.
The research work, undertaken by a team lead by Dr. Amit Jaiswal, Assistant Professor, School of Basic Sciences, IIT Mandi, paves the way for better understanding and development of theranostic techniques for cancer and other diseases.
It was recently published in the Journal of ChemNanoMat.
Theranostics is an emerging field in medicine, especially in oncology, and combines “diagnostics”, the detection of abnormalities and maladies, with “therapeutics”, treatment of the malady.
It involves the use of a single multifunctional agent that can diagnose ailments, deliver drugs and monitor treatment efficacy.
The promise of theranostics is that it could enable treatment options that are individual-specific, which can conceivably result in better prognoses. This research does not imply a cure for cancer.
"Obviously, the development of theranostic techniques hinges on the development of agents that can serve multiple functions of detection and treatment. “Nano-materials – materials that are approximately few thousand times smaller than the thickness of a single human hair – have brought the concept of theranostics closer to reality”, says Dr. Amit Jaiswal.
The unique size scale of the particles can result in enhanced-permeability-and-retention (EPR) effect in tumour targeting and treatment.

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