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Tuesday, 2nd June 2009 (1163 views)

US Army scientists have used gold in the development of a new delivery method for DNA vaccines.

According to United Press International, the precious metal has been utilised in the development of technology known as a "gene gun", which can be used as a less painful method than needles for administering drugs.

Senior research scientist at the US Army's Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases Connie Schmaljohn stated that using DNA has a number of benefits over the vaccines currently on the market, the American Forces Press Service reported.

"The DNA is first coated on to very, very tiny gold beads and those gold beads with the DNA are then put inside of a plastic device that's about the size of a small flashlight," she explained, adding that this allows the gold-coated DNA to penetrate the skin of the recipient once a trigger is pushed.

In related news, gold has also been used by researchers at RMIT University in Australia to develop a device that can accurately measure mercury levels.

 

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