Project description
Targeted hydrogel-based oxygen delivery for cancer therapy
Singlet oxygen (¹O₂) is a high-energy, reactive form of molecular oxygen with electrons in an excited state, making it more chemically active than the ground-state oxygen we breathe. In this excited state, singlet oxygen can react with various organic molecules, leading to oxidation reactions that can damage lipids, proteins, and DNA. This reactivity makes it useful in medical therapies targeting cancer cells or pathogens. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the OTHOx project aims to develop novel supramolecular hydrogels as carriers for singlet oxygen. The research team will introduce modular hydrogels carrying endoperoxides rich in singlet oxygen and analyse their properties and safety profile.
Objective
This research aims to develop novel supramolecular hydrogels and study their application as singlet oxygen (1O2) carriers. In medicine, 1O2 generated in-vivo through photochemistry has been used to treat a variety of ailments including bacterial infections, acne, and several types of cancer. Though promising, this approach suffers from drawbacks such as diminished effectiveness in hypoxic conditions, both native and induced and lack of control over the total concentration and dosage of active 1O2. Recently, endoperoxides (EPO) have been identified as a potential solution for those, as they are self-contained sources of 1O2 produced ex-situ. However, they still do not allow for precise spatiotemporal control of 1O2 release, which is desirable to maximize for effectiveness of the treatment. Grafting EPOs on solid supports has been explored as a solution, but the state-of-the-art materials rely on complicated supports with low EPO loadings and thermal release mechanisms. Herein, we propose a new strategy for spatiotemporal control of 1O2 through the unprecedented use of hydrogels as EPO carriers. Hydrogels offer an easy to control and stable, but not persistent matrix in which the main component is water. The OTHO (oxotriphenylhexanoate) hydrogels enjoy unparalleled modularity, due to their highly robust and selective multicomponent one-pot synthesis. Thus, we will synthesize a range of OTHOs containing EPO units and perform detailed studies by rheology, solid-state NMR, small-angle x-ray and neutron scattering and electron microscopy to understand the properties and behavior of the resulting hydrogels. The biocompatibility and cytotoxic profile of the materials will be investigated against yeast cells expressing human disease markers. This will pave the way for a new breed of supramolecular pharmacology materials for 1O2 therapy against cancer.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology bacteriology
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology cells technologies
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
405 30 Goeteborg
Sweden
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.