Monocytes — a kind of white blood cell — carrying drug-loaded backpacks (red). (The scale bar is 5 µm.) (Image credit: Roberta Polak & Rosanna Lim)

Monocytes — a kind of white blood cell — carrying drug-loaded backpacks (red). (The scale bar is 5 µm.) (Image credit: Roberta Polak & Rosanna Lim)

Medicine can be delivered to specific parts of the body by fitting it inside a “backpack” and attaching it to white blood cells. This targeted drug delivery means other tissues of the body aren’t affected, and side effects are limited. 

Original research presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society on March 17, 2015.