Indian Scientists Develop Light-Driven Nanobots for Promising Breast Cancer Treatment - Video

Cancer treatment just got a sci-fi upgrade: tiny light-guided nanobots are taking aim at breast tumors.

Indian researchers have developed light-activated multifunctional nanobots designed to target breast cancer cells with high precision, potentially offering a more localized alternative to conventional chemotherapy. The technology was developed by scientists at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali, in collaboration with the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai. The findings were published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

Unlike conventional chemotherapy, which can damage healthy cells alongside cancer cells, the new nanobots are designed to actively move toward tumors and deliver treatment where it is needed.

The researchers created upconversion nanoparticle-based nanobots that respond to near-infrared (NIR) light. When exposed to a 980-nanometre NIR laser, the particles can move toward the light source through a process called phototaxis.

Once activated, they perform multiple functions at once. They generate heat to destroy cancer cells and produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can cause additional damage to tumor cells. Their surfaces are coated with folic acid, helping them recognize folate receptors that are commonly found at higher levels on certain cancer cells.

The combination of photothermal and photodynamic therapy produced stronger tumor-inhibiting effects than either approach alone in laboratory experiments.

The researchers also tested the technology in breast tumor-bearing mice, where the nanobots demonstrated promising anticancer activity.

Another advantage is external control. Because the nanobots can be activated using NIR light and respond to biological conditions such as pH and glutathione levels, researchers believe they could eventually enable highly localized treatment while reducing exposure to healthy tissues.

However, the technology remains at the preclinical stage. Extensive safety testing and human clinical trials will be needed before it can be considered for routine cancer treatment.

Still, these microscopic machines could offer a glimpse of a future where cancer therapy is smarter, more targeted and less damaging to healthy tissue.

REFERENCE: Swapnil Srivastava, Annu Balhara, Pankaj Kharra, Jyoti Yadav, Santosh K Gupta, Jiban Jyoti Panda; Multi-Responsive Upconversion Hybrid Nanobots Clad with Dopamine for Light-Driven Breast Cancer Therapy. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 4 March 2026; 18 (8): 12383–12405. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.5c20372