A new study by scientists in the UK and France has shown it is possible to fine tune the magnetic properties of tiny "nano" magnets made by bacteria, and this technology could one day be developed to target cancer tumours.

The study is the work of Dr Sarah Staniland of the School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, and colleagues, including Dr Andrew Harrison who is based at the The Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble, and is published in the early online issue of the journal Nature Nanotechnology.