US Patent 7816149 - Quantum dot cell therapy

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7816149.html

Several human diseases such as Alzheimer's, Huntingtons, Lou Gehrig's, Jakob-Kreutzfeld and Mad Cow disease are associated with protein misfolding. This patent from Applied Photonics Worldwide teaches using quantum dot nanocrystals to correct misfolded protein structures via localized heating. Claim 1 reads:

1. A nanobioprocessor for protein and cell therapy comprising:

a quantum dot having selected band gap energies, wherein the quantum dot is coupled or adjacent to at least one protein, cell or tissue; and

an electromagnetic radiation source and detector configured to remotely heat or selectively excite the quantum dot to transfer radiation to the at least one coupled or adjacent protein cell or tissue;

wherein the quantum dot is composed with a core of nanocrystals sensitive in the NIR region.