Dynamically Programmable Magnetic Fields for Controlled Movement of Cells Loaded with Iron Oxide Nanoparticles.

Cell-based therapies are becoming increasingly prominent in numerous medical contexts, particularly in regenerative medicine and the treatment of cancer. However, since the efficacy of the therapy is largely dependent on the concentration of therapeutic cells at the treatment area, a major challenge associated with cell-based therapies is the ability to move and localize therapeutic cells within the body. In this article, a technique based on dynamically programmable magnetic fields is successfully demonstrated to noninvasively aggregate therapeutic cells at a desired location.

Functionalized iron oxide nanoparticles for controlling the movement of immune cells.

Immunotherapy is currently being investigated for the treatment of many diseases, including cancer. The ability to control the location of immune cells during or following activation would represent a powerful new technique for this field. Targeted magnetic delivery is emerging as a technique for controlling cell movement and localization.