Diamond indeed make for beautiful jewelry. However new research shows that diamonds can help in the tracking of cancer cells.

The nano-diamonds were tested to highlight cancer in its early stage with the uses of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Nano-diamonds only measure about four and five nanometers in diameter. They are nontoxic and do not cause any allergic reactions, which reduces the possibility of patients suffering any side effects. In addition, nano-diamonds has the ability of carrying drug compounds in the blood stream. This fact alone makes them the ideal way to target drug delivery.

The research was led by Professor David Reilly together with the School of Physics at the University of Sydney, Australia. Learing to understand how nano-diamonds can be used in tracking and diagnosing cancer in its early-stage has been an exciting research.  Professor Reilly explained:

“We thought we could build on these nontoxic properties realizing that diamonds have magnetic characteristics enabling them to act as beacons in MRIs”.

Diamonds or nano-diamonds do not light up by themselves during an MRI. It is for this reason that the nano-diamonds used by the research team were hyperpolarized. Hyperpolarization is a process that allows the nano-diamonds to light up and become visible during an MRI. 

When hyperpolarization process is completed, the nano-diamonds become the means for chemicals that specifically target cancer cells. Cancer cells attract the chemicals carried by the nano-diamonds, which in turn makes them visible on the MRI scan. The great advantage of this technique is that cancer cells can be tracked and detected and therefore timely treated.

Ewa Rej, also a lead author on the study, explained how hyperpolarized nano-diamonds are an amazing tool for tracking cancer molecules through the body, adding the benefits of saving lives due to early detection.

“This is a great example of how quantum physics research tackles real-world problems, in this case opening the way for us to image and target cancers long before they become life-threatening.”

The study will now be tested in a laboratory setting on animals. More research will be needed to understand how efficient hyperpolarized nano-diamonds are dealing with human patients. Regardless the outcome of this research, underlining how diamonds help in tracking cancer cells is an accomplishment of its own.

We are hopefully one step closer to finding a cure for cancer. As you see diamonds are not only a girls best friend..