Nanotech as it relates to the study of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics gets a shot in the arm with the use of specialized bacteria. Canadian researchers are using magnetic fields to “steer” those bacteria to target organs for drug delivery. Focusing on a bacterial protein, dubbed MC-1, the scientists are able to manipulate “a microbial speed demon that swims 10 times faster than most species and can travel at top speeds of 200 micrometers per second using its twirling flagella”. 

If MC-1 were to be loaded with a drug and given the ability to target a particular tissue, it could provide a nimble addition to the medical treatment arsenal. Apart from speed, the bacterium has another property that makes it a perfect candidate for the role: each cell contains a chain of magnetic nanoparticles, allowing the bacteria to sense and swim along magnetic fields. | LINK

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