A new nanotechnology centre at Bahrain University will soon be up and running, the facilities of which will be used to research new ways to treat cancer.

The centre, which is the second of its kind in the region, will be headed by director Dr Mohammed Budeena, our sister newspaper, the Gulf Daily News reported.

"Nanotechnology means the study of small material that lies somewhere between atoms and tangible material," he said.

"It's a new field. We used to study chemistry and now we study nano-chemistry; we studied medicine and now we study nano-medicine.”

"At the moment, doctors face difficulties with prescribing cancer treatments because chemotherapy and other treatments have adverse side effects.”

"However, using nanoparticles, we would avoid any collateral damage by using magnetic fields to direct heat to eliminate carcinogenic cells without harming the individual."

However, he said the research was still ongoing in collaboration with other universities.

He also said the centre was conducting research with the engineering and science faculties of the university.

"One project is on the effect of nano-materials in the environment, such as materials that are thrown into the sea and their impact on algae," he said.

"We've also been working on a project in collaboration with the Arabian Gulf University, preparing nano-material using bacteria and some natural plants and we will be publishing our results in scientific journals soon."

Work on the building has been completed following an edict in 2008 from the then university president Shaikha Mariam bint Hassan Al Khalifa to set up the centre. – TradeArabia News Service