Iridium catalyst designed to activate chemotherapy drug at tumor cells

Conventional chemotherapy often harms healthy tissue, producing side effects such as hair loss and nausea.

A research team led by Dr. Thomas Ward from the Department of Chemistry and the Swiss Nanoscience Institute (SNI) at the University of Basel is developing a new strategy. The approach uses artificial metal compounds as catalysts that bind specifically to tumor cells and then convert prodrugs into the active chemotherapy agent directly at the tumor site.