A new “smart” nanoparticle developed at OHSU delivers a one-two punch to tumors—making focused ultrasound therapy safer, more precise, and potentially more powerful against cancer recurrence.
Key Points at a Glance
- Researchers created a nanoparticle that amplifies and targets focused ultrasound therapy.
- The particles contain tiny gas bubbles and a chemotherapy drug for dual attack on tumors.
- This method reduces the energy needed for tumor destruction by up to 100-fold.
- Preclinical trials in melanoma showed complete tumor disappearance in some mice.
- The platform may be expanded for use in immunotherapy, infections, and heart disease.
Cancer researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have developed a revolutionary nanoparticle-based therapy that could change the way we fight solid tumors. In a new study published in Nano Letters, the team demonstrated that their innovation not only makes cancer treatment safer but significantly more effective—and may offer a critical edge in preventing tumors from coming back.
The technology pairs two powerful elements: high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), a noninvasive technique for destroying tumors, and an engineered nanoparticle—just a thousandth the width of a sheet of paper—that supercharges this effect. The key lies in the nanoparticle’s surface, which carries minuscule gas bubbles. When struck with ultrasound, these bubbles burst and deliver energy that helps shatter tumors more precisely, requiring far less heat and sparing surrounding healthy tissue.
“We reduced the energy needed for tumor disruption by up to 100-fold,” says biomedical engineering Ph.D. student Michael Henderson, the study’s co-lead author. “Instead of cooking the tissue, we deliver short ultrasound pulses that mechanically disrupt tumors with precision.”
But this is more than just an ultrasound amplifier. The particles are coated with peptides—molecules that target and bind to cancer cells. That means the particles zero in on tumors and even penetrate cells. And then comes the knockout blow: attached to the peptide is a chemotherapy drug, giving the platform what co-lead author Li Xiang, Ph.D., describes as a “one-two punch.”
“The ultrasound physically breaks up the tumor, and the drug ensures any leftover cells are destroyed,” Xiang explains.
The results in preclinical melanoma models are striking. Mice treated with the combined therapy showed significantly deeper tumor destruction and improved survival. In some cases, tumors vanished entirely, with no major side effects observed for over two months.
“This is a platform that started in 2018 as an idea for nanoparticle-assisted tumor ablation,” says senior author Adem Yildirim, Ph.D., assistant professor at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. “Today, we see it evolving into a multifunctional system—combining drug delivery, mechanical therapy, and potentially even immunotherapy.”
The promise goes beyond cancer. Since the technology relies on physical disruption coupled with localized drug release, it could eventually be adapted for infections, cardiovascular disease, or conditions where targeted treatment is essential.
“This is a future-ready tool,” Henderson adds. “By adjusting what we load onto the particles, we can tailor it to different diseases.”
And the science is deeply personal for Henderson. Born at OHSU and trained under some of its most esteemed researchers, he now works with CEDAR to pioneer therapies that could one day reach patients in the very hospital where he took his first breath.
“This is just the beginning,” he says. “We’re working on adapting the platform for use in immunotherapy next, which could allow us to harness the body’s own immune system along with ultrasound and smart nanoparticles.”
With cancer recurrence still a major challenge in oncology, this research represents a critical step forward—combining precision engineering with cutting-edge medicine to strike tumors at their core while sparing healthy tissue.
