Objective The progress of nanotechnology during the last decades has had a strong impact to the current research of biomedical applications, in particular against dreadful diseases such as cancer. It is estimated that more than 12 million cases of cancer are diagnosed every year worldwide. Multidrug resistance, rapid elimination by the immune system, enzymatic degradation, and poor targeting efficiency are still the major obstacles of the nanomedicines used in cancer therapy. The integration of imaging and therapeutic agents into a single carrier (theranostics) allows simultaneously detection, diagnostics, and treatment of the diseases, which may enhance both expectancy and quality of life of the patients.In the proposed project a systematic approach is taken towards developing and testing of novel multistage–multifunctional nanovectors based on the fusion between stage-2 nanoporous silicon nanoparticles and stage-1 polymersomes (fused materials = protocells, cell-like particles) for directed (targeted/personalized) therapy and multimodal imaging. With this approach it is aimed to decouple the quadruple functions of the protocell nanovectors in order to generate relevant preclinical information for rapid translation into the clinic: sufficient multifunctionality to avoid biological barriers, recognition of their targets, accounting for non-invasive in vivo imaging and delivery of therapeutics. The overall distinct and final milestones are: to ligand-anchored, co-loading of drug(s)-dye(s), and dual radiolabelling of the precisely tailored protocell nanovectors for simultaneously targeting the tumour vasculature cells, stimulating the immune system response and multimodal imaging in vivo. It is also aimed to evaluate the suitability and effectiveness of the designed nanodevices by employing in vitro models and in vivo imaging techniques and to achieve a comprehensive and deeper understanding on the cellular interactions between the protocell nanovectors and the cancer cells. Fields of science medical and health sciencesbasic medicineimmunologymedical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologynanomedicinemedical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologynatural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrymetalloidsmedical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacydrug resistancemultidrug resistance Programme(s) FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) ERC-SG-LS7 - Applied life sciences, biotechnology and bioengineering: agricultural, animal, fishery, forestry/food sciences; biotechnology, chemical biology, genetic engineering, synthetic biology, industrial biosciences; environmental biotechnology. Call for proposal ERC-2012-StG_20111109 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-SG - ERC Starting Grant Host institution HELSINGIN YLIOPISTO EU contribution € 1 499 603,00 Address YLIOPISTONKATU 3 00014 Helsingin Yliopisto Finland See on map Region Manner-Suomi Helsinki-Uusimaa Helsinki-Uusimaa Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Pilvi Toppinen (Ms.) Principal investigator Hélder Almeida Santos (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Beneficiaries (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all HELSINGIN YLIOPISTO Finland EU contribution € 1 499 603,00 Address YLIOPISTONKATU 3 00014 Helsingin Yliopisto See on map Region Manner-Suomi Helsinki-Uusimaa Helsinki-Uusimaa Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Pilvi Toppinen (Ms.) Principal investigator Hélder Almeida Santos (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data
