Nano Battery
We have developed two types of tiny nanobatteries that contain either glucose or an enzyme called glucose oxidase. When these two types are brought together, the glucose is converted into water, carbon dioxide, and—importantly—electricity.
By using a specific antibody known as prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), we aim to target and attach both types of nanobatteries to the surface of prostate cancer cells. Once attached, the batteries generate an electric current across the cancer cell membrane, which damages the cell wall.
Thanks to their extremely small size, these nanobatteries can be injected into the bloodstream. There are two kinds: one with a positive charge (cathodes or “plus batteries” ⊕) and one with a negative charge (anodes or “minus batteries” ⊖).
How it works:
1. Step One: The ⊕ batteries are injected into a vein.
These batteries are designed to bind to prostate cancer cells because they carry the PSMA antibody, which specifically recognizes and attaches to PSMA receptors on the cancer cell surface.
2. Step Two: After about 30 minutes, the ⊖ batteries are injected.
These also carry the PSMA antibody and attach to the same cancer cells.
Electricity Generation:
When both types of batteries are attached to the same cell, they create a small electric current using the glucose and the glucose oxidase enzyme. This was already tested successfully in a fluid similar to blood.
The generated electricity damages the outer membrane of cancer cells, weakening them and making them more vulnerable to other treatments such as immunotherapy or chemotherapy. In some cases, the electricity alone may trigger the immune system to destroy the cancer cells directly.
This method has fewer side effects than surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy because it primarily targets cancer cells and leaves healthy cells unharmed. The nanobatteries are also biodegradable, meaning they naturally break down in the body and the environment.
Good News:
Together with Dr. R. Tomovfrom the Materials Chemistry Group at the University of Cambridge, we have successfully developed nano-bio batteries as small as 50 to 100 nanometers—and demonstrated that they are capable of generating electricity.
In parallel, researchers at TU Eindhoven have provided strong evidence
-primarily through spectroscopy- that both the PSMA linker and the fluorescent agent effectively bind to the functionalized carbon nanotubes.
The next step is to demonstrate that the functionalized carbon nanotubes, equipped with PSMAand a fluorescent agent, can selectively bind to prostate cancer cell membraneswithout attaching to healthy cells. This will mark the beginning of the in-vitro testing phase.
In the second phase, we will conduct a similar experiment using enzyme catalystsinstead of—or alongside—the fluorescent agent. The goal is to confirm that only cancerous cells, and not healthy cells, are affected by the carbon nanotubes.
Following successful in-vitro results, the nano-bio batterieswill be tested in animal models, specifically in mice with prostate cancer, to assess both efficacy and safety in a living system.
Finally, we aim to move towards human clinical studiesto demonstrate that these carbon nanotube-based nanobatteriescan effectively target and destroy prostate cancer cellsin patients, while minimizing harm to healthy tissue.
We aim to demonstrate in the laboratory that our nanobatteries can effectively damage prostate cancer cells that express PSMA receptors.
Within the next year, we expect to show that our concept works—first in in-vitro experiments, and then in animal studies using mice.
To make this possible, we require significant support:
€50,000for the laboratory (in-vitro) experiments
An additional €200,000for the preclinical animal studies
If you would like to help accelerate this promising research, please consider contributing via our ANBI-registered foundation, Nano-Iron-Ribbon.
Use the reference “bio batteries” with your donation.
This figure shows the size of the nano-battery: which is 1,000 times smaller than a hair!
The figure left shows how the small batteries attach to the cancer cell and how they begin to produce electricity.
The small batteries recognize specific spots (prostate membrane-receptors, R) on the cancer cells. They attach to these spots, thanks to the so-called Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) which is bound to the nanobattery.
First, the patient will receive the batteries with a positive charge (cathode). These adhere to the cancer cell. Then, the patient receives batteries with a negative charge (anode), which also attach to the cell.
When both a positively charged battery and a negatively charged battery attach to the same cancer cell, a small electric current (e) is generated. These currents damage the cancer cells.
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