Scientists need a better understanding of the chemistry of radium to be able to target the isotope radium-223 (Ra-223) to cancer cells. Once delivered, Ra-223 can destroy those cells with alpha particles, a type of radiation.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: This image depicts a binding molecule delivering radium-223 to a cancer cell. Credit: Adam Malin, Oak Ridge National Laboratory In a 2022 study published in Chemical Communications, researchers investigated radium's chemistry by looking at how it interacts with two chelators, or binding molecules, called macropa and DOTA. Doctors use both chelators in targeted alpha cancer therapy. Through experiments and computer-driven models, the researchers discovered that macropa is the strongest chelator for binding radium identified so far. They also gained information about how the structure and properties of these chelators affect how well they bind to radium. Until now, there have been few efforts to get information on how radium binds with known chelators. To address this gap, scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) used…