 Aptomers are short strands of nucleic acids that combine to specific molecules with high affinity and selectivity. They are similar to antibodies but are composed of RNA or single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides instead of proteins. Aptomers can be used to detect and treat diseases such as cancer and have been shown to be effective in targeted drug delivery and gene therapy. This article was authored by Hongwang Sun, Sun Xiu, Patrick Wailu and others.