Professors Haam Seungjoo, Suh Jin Suck, Huh Yong Min A Great Step in the Early Treatment of Microcarcinoma Article Published in the International Journal “Angewandte Chemi” A research team from Yonsei succeeded in developing a way to use nano-technology to make early detection and treatment of cancer happen simultaneously. The team’s research results were published in the October 17 online issue of the world-renowned chemistry journal, “Angewandte Chemi”. Professor Haam Seungjoo of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Professors Suh Jin Suck and Huh Yong Min of the Yonsei School of Medicine Diagnostic Radiology Department successfully created a multifunctional magneto-polymeric nanohybrid that combines the functions of cancer cell detection and treatment. The team was funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Korean Science and Engineering Foundation’s Biotechnology Development Project. In December of 2006, Professor Cheon Jinwoo (Chemistry) and Professor Suh developed a system of diagnostic MRI imaging using ultra-sensitive magnetic nanoprobes to detect cancer cells as small as 2 millimeters. The results of their study were published in the December 2006 issue of “Nature Medicine.” Since then, Professors Haam, Suh and Huh entered on a new phase of the project to look for ways of making simultaneous detection and treatment of small cancer possible. The team added anticancer drugs to magnetic nanoparticles that were modified with antibodies that would seek out and bond with tumor-specific antigens. This was then injected into a group of mice, and the results showed suppression of cancer cell growth that was six times greater than groups that had not been injected with this material. “The amphiphile polymer was the solution to the problem of combining ultra-sensitive magnetic nanoprobes and anticancer drugs, and at the same time carrying the anticancer drugs safely to the targeted cancer cells without harming healthy cells,” explained Professor Haam. Professor Huh added, “Our multifunctional magneto-polymeric nanohybrids are like precision-guided munitions that seek out only cancerous cells and emit anticancer drugs. We were able to track, through imaging, how the cancer cells were suppressed and ultimately destroyed. This means that we were able to create a multifunctional nanohybrid which can detect and treat cancer at the same time, in effect creating a successful synthesis of antibodies and anticancer drugs. The results were confirmed on mice, opening up a new door to the early detection and treatment of cancer.” Steps have been taken to procure international and domestic patents, and pre-clinical and clinical testing will be conducted in conjunction with the bioventure company ATGen. Pending the results of these tests, this new discovery is expected to create substantial opportunities in the nanomedical field.