128. Radioactive Tumor Killing Implant, 3D Printing Plant Cells, Step Into A Video w/ VR

Show Notes <p><a href='https://newatlas.com/medical/radioactive-implant-wipes-tumors-unprecedented-pre-clinical-success/'>Radioactive implant wipes tumors in unprecedented pre-clinical success</a> | New Atlas (00:52)</p> <ul><li style="font-weight:400;"> <p>Pancreatic cancer is notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat, with tumor cells of this type highly evasive and loaded with mutations that make them resistant to many drugs.</p> <ul><li style="font-weight:400;"> <p> 3.2 percent of all cancers, yet is the third leading cause of cancer-related death</p> </li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight:400;"> <p>Engineers at Duke University have developed a novel delivery system for cancer treatment and demonstrated its potential against one of the disease’s most troublesome forms</p> <ul><li style="font-weight:400;"> <p>A radioactive implant completely eliminated tumors in the majority of the rodents</p> </li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight:400;"> <p>The team wanted to figure out a way to implant into the tumor without causing damage to the surrounding tissue.</p> <ul><li style="font-weight:400;"> <p>Created one from more biocompatible materials (instead of titanium)  that wouldn’t post the same risks to the human body.</p> </li> <li style="font-weight:400;"> <p>Synthetic chains of amino acids known as elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs), which form a stable gel-like material in the warmer environment of the body.</p> </li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight:400;"> <p>This substance was injected into tumors in various mouse models of pancreatic cancer along with a radioactive element called <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iodine-131#Medical_use'>iodine-131</a>.</p> <ul><li style="font-weight:400;"> <p>ELP entombs the iodine-131 and prevents it from leaking into the body.</p> </li> <li style="font-weight:400;"> <p>Allows it to emit beta radiation that penetrates into the surrounding tumor.</p> </li> <li style="font-weight:400;"> <p>Once the radiation is spent, the ELP biogel safely degrades into harmless amino