Galway Bay’s murky water may benefit cancer patients

Famed in song around the world for its beauty, research on murkier aspects of water from Galway Bay could have benefits for cancer patients and people suffering from extreme pain.

Although invisible to the human eye, microscopic algae from the bay have been manipulated by scientists at NUI Galway in an effort to help design more effective delivery of drugs.

The outcome could mean getting therapeutics more directly to the affected area of the body, as well as slow-release mechanisms that could reduce the need for multiple doses of cancer treatment or pain relief drugs that can have harmful side-effects.