Renjith Vijayakumar Selvarani, Founder, Chairman, Chief Scientific and Technology Officer at OLUSIUM, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Rice University scientists have introduced a fascinating new approach to cancer treatment called ‘molecular jackhammering.’
This technique is part of a broader push toward noninvasive medicine, where treatments can work without major surgery or heavy drug use. The idea is surprisingly physical rather than chemical.
The method uses aminocyanine molecules a type of dye that is already widely used in medical imaging. These molecules naturally attach themselves to the membranes of cancer cells. When exposed to near-infrared (NIR) light, something remarkable happens: the molecules begin vibrating at extremely high speeds around 40 trillion times per second. This intense vibration generates a mechanical force strong enough to rupture the cancer cell membranes, effectively destroying the cells.
In laboratory studies, the results have been striking. The technique eliminated about 99% of melanoma cells, and in animal models, around half of the treated mice experienced complete tumor remission.
What makes this approach especially interesting is that it doesn’t rely on biochemical interactions like traditional chemotherapy. Since it works through physical force, cancer cells are far less likely to develop resistance – a major limitation of many current treatments.
Another advantage is the use of near-infrared light, which can penetrate up to about 10 centimeters into human tissue. This means the method could potentially target deeper tumors, including those in organs or bones, without invasive procedures.
As of April 2026, the research team is working on expanding this technology to tackle other aggressive cancers, such as pancreatic and breast cancer. Because the dye used in this method is already approved for medical imaging, there’s optimism that the path to human clinical trials could be faster than usual, possibly paving the way for a new class of precise, drug-free cancer therapies.”
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