Nanoscale materials illuminate cancer cells in a frozen state for precise cryosurgical procedure

Researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) have developed an innovative tool that enhances the ability of surgeons to detect and remove cancer cells during Cryosurgery. This groundbreaking technology includes specialized nanoscale materials that illuminate cancer cells in frozen states, which distinguish them from healthy tissues and helps to improve surgical accuracy.

NYUAD’s Trabolsi Research Group is detailed in its study, “The Frozen Increase Organic Framework for Cancer Tissues with Fluorescent Fluorescent Disorders,” in its Journal of the American Chemical Society. This allows for a clear distinction between cancerous and healthy tissue during surgery.

Materials created by Dr. Gobinda Das, a researcher at NYUAD’s Traborsi Research Group, are designed to be less biocompatible and less toxic, ensuring safe interactions within the body. Importantly, it maintains fluorescent properties even in the presence of intracellular ice crystals, allowing real-time monitoring during cryosurgery.

This advance not only improves the accuracy and safety of cryosurgical procedures, but also combines diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities into one platform, as well as removing cancer cells while maintaining healthier tissue. This can reduce the need for repeated surgeries and speed up patient recovery.

Fluorescence imaging, a non-invasive technique using photosensitive dyes to highlight tumors, acquired traction with its ability to provide real-time insights during surgery. However, its use with CryOsurgery has remained largely unexplored.

“We see this as a transformative tool that could revolutionize cancer surgery,” says Dr. Farah Benyettou, a research scientist with the Trabolsi research group at Nyu Abu Dhabi. “By making tumor removal more accurate, this technique could reduce additional surgeries and promote patient recovery. This is a major step forward in treating aggressive and difficult-to-target cancers.”

“This breakthrough bridges the gap between imaging and treatment, providing surgeons with real-time tools to visualize and remove cancer with unprecedented accuracy,” said Ali Trabolsi, professor of chemistry and lead researcher at Nyu Abu Dhabi’s Trabolsi Research Group. “By integrating fluorescence imaging with cryosurgery, we push the boundaries of cancer treatments and offer new hope for patients with difficult-to-treat tumors.”