Dr Ahmed El-Gendy Recognised for Research Exploring Nanoparticles to Target Breast and Prostate Tumours
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EL PASO / CAIRO: Egyptian physicist Dr Ahmed El-Gendy, Associate Professor of Physics at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), has been awarded the 2026 Marie Curie Medal in Cancer Nanomedicine by the International Association of Advanced Materials (IAAM), Sweden, for his breakthrough work applying nanotechnology to cancer treatment.
Award Recognition:
The IAAM, which honors outstanding research, innovation and technology in advanced materials, selected El-Gendy for his pioneering contribution to magnetic nanomaterials and their targeted application in oncology.
UTEP’s College of Science formally announced the honor across its official platforms.
This is his second major distinction from IAAM in just two years, following the IAAM Advanced Materials Award in 2024, reflecting growing scientific interest in his research on magnetic nanostructures.
What His Research Does:
El-Gendy has spent years researching magnetic nanoparticles and their potential applications in medicine, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), drug delivery, and magnetic hyperthermia for cancer treatment*, as well as broader work in materials science and nanomagnetism.
A recent study co-authored by Dr El-Gendy and published in the journal Acta Biomaterialia in August 2026 investigated iron and carbon nanoparticles exposed to an alternating magnetic field.
The study reported a significant reduction in tumor growth in animal models of breast and prostate cancer.
Crucially, the therapeutic effect was linked to the magnetic dynamics and movement of the nanoparticles under an external magnetic field, rather than solely on heating tumors as in conventional magnetic hyperthermia
The findings suggest a potentially different mechanism for using magnetic nanoparticles in cancer treatment directly targeting and destroying solid tumors when activated.
The award coincides with this publication, marking a milestone for targeted cancer nanomedicine
