DNA 'barcodes' help researchers pinpoint gold nanoparticles that can strike cancer at its power source

Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a high-throughput method to identify gold nanoparticles capable of delivering therapies directly to mitochondria (the energy centers inside cancer cells). By tagging nanoparticles with unique DNA "barcodes," the team was able to track and compare dozens of designs simultaneously in living tumor models, rapidly identifying those most effective at reaching this critical subcellular target.