Described herein is a method of induced cell death via ferroptosis by nanoparticle ingestion. Moreover, the present disclosure describes the administration of high concentrations of ultrasmall nanoparticles at multiple times over the course of treatment in combination with a nutrient-depleted environment, thereby modulating cellular metabolic pathways to induce cell death by the mechanism ferroptosis. Ferroptosis involves iron, reactive oxygen species, and a synchronous mode of cell death execution.