OSU Researchers Develop New Cancer-killing Material

Novel nanomaterial triggers dual chemical reactions to eradicate tumors in mice without side effects

Jan. 28, 2026 at 3:31am

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Scientists at Oregon State University have developed a new nanomaterial that triggers a pair of chemical reactions inside cancer cells, killing the cells via oxidative stress while leaving healthy tissues alone. The findings advance the field of chemodynamic therapy, an emerging treatment approach based on the distinctive biochemical environment found in cancer cells.

Why it matters

Existing chemodynamic therapy agents are limited in their ability to efficiently generate both hydroxyl radicals and singlet oxygen, the two key reactive oxygen species needed for effective cancer cell destruction. This new nanomaterial represents a significant advancement, demonstrating complete tumor regression and long-term prevention of recurrence in mice without any systemic toxicity.

The details

The novel iron-based metal-organic framework (MOF) nanoagent developed by the OSU researchers is able to robustly generate both hydroxyl radicals and singlet oxygen, making it more effective than current chemodynamic therapy approaches. When administered systemically in mice with human breast cancer, the MOF efficiently accumulated in tumors and completely eradicated the cancer without any adverse effects.

  • The study was published this week in Advanced Functional Materials.
  • Before this treatment can be tested in humans, the research team plans to evaluate its therapeutic efficacy in various cancer types, including aggressive pancreatic cancer.

The players

Oleh Taratula

Lead researcher and professor at the OSU College of Pharmacy.

Olena Taratula

Lead researcher and professor at the OSU College of Pharmacy.

Chao Wang

Researcher at the OSU College of Pharmacy and co-author of the study.

Kongbrailatpam Shitaljit Sharma

Researcher at Oregon State University and co-author of the study.

National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health

Funding source for the research.

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What they’re saying

“When we systemically administered our nanoagent in mice bearing human breast cancer cells, it efficiently accumulated in tumors, robustly generated reactive oxygen species and completely eradicated the cancer without adverse effects. We saw total tumor regression and long-term prevention of recurrence, all without seeing any systemic toxicity.”

— Olena Taratula, Lead researcher and professor at the OSU College of Pharmacy

“However, existing CDT agents are limited. They efficiently generate either radical hydroxyls or singlet oxygen but not both, and they often lack sufficient catalytic activity to sustain robust reactive oxygen species production. Consequently, preclinical studies often only show partial tumor regression and not a durable therapeutic benefit.”

— Oleh Taratula, Lead researcher and professor at the OSU College of Pharmacy

What’s next

Before this treatment can be tested in humans, the research team plans to evaluate its therapeutic efficacy in various cancer types, including aggressive pancreatic cancer, to demonstrate its broad applicability across different malignancies.

The takeaway

This new nanomaterial represents a significant advancement in chemodynamic therapy, demonstrating the ability to efficiently generate both hydroxyl radicals and singlet oxygen to completely eradicate tumors in mice without any systemic toxicity. If successful in further testing, this approach could lead to a more effective and safer cancer treatment option.