Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 2, 2026

Voluntary Breath-hold Technique for Reducing Heart Dose in Left Breast Radiotherapy
Published on: July 3, 2014
Nanoscale Metal-Organic Layers for Radiotherapy-Radiodynamic Therapy
Abstract:
Nanoscale metal-organic layers (nMOLs) are an emerging class of 2D crystalline materials formed by reducing the dimensionality of nanoscale metal-organic frameworks (nMOFs). nMOLs hold significant potential in biomedical applications by combining the structural and compositional tunability of nMOFs and anisotropic properties of 2D nanomaterials. Here we report two novel nMOLs, Hf12-Ir and Hf6-Ir, based on Hf12 and Hf6 secondary building units (SBUs) and photosensitizing Ir(bpy)[dF(CF3)ppy]2+ derived ligands [bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine; dF(CF3)ppy = 2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine] for radiotherapy (RT) and radiodynamic therapy (RDT). Upon X-ray irradiation, the Hf12 or Hf6 SBUs in the nMOLs efficiently absorb X-rays to enhance RT by producing hydroxyl radicals and to elicit RDT through the excitation of Ir(bpy)[dF(CF3)ppy]2+ derived ligands to generate singlet oxygen and superoxide anions. Hf12-Ir and Hf6-Ir promoted effective cell instant death through RDT and cell reproductive death through RT to elicit superb anticancer efficacy, resulting in >99% tumor regression at low X-ray doses of 0.5 × 5 Gy.
Related Concept Videos
Metallic Solids
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability....
Bonding in Metals
Alkali Metals
Table 1: Properties of the alkali metals
Metal-Ligand Bonds
In these complexes, transition metals form coordinate covalent bonds, a kind of Lewis acid-base interaction in which both of the electrons in the bond are contributed by a donor (Lewis base) to an electron acceptor (Lewis acid). The Lewis acid in...
Properties of Transition Metals
Gene Therapy

