Photo/magnetic stimulated nanocargos for superior cancer treatments

Objective

Breast cancer (BC) accounts for 28 % of the total cancer cases in the European Union (EU) and is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality of European women. The stratification of individual BC sub-types for corresponding therapy modalities is poor. Therapy outcomes in several BC sub-types are unsatisfactory. Its diagnosis is marred by high proportion of false positives and the economic burden to healthcare systems is very high. To overcome this NANOCARGO will develop a simultaneous diagnosis and therapy (theranostics) approach based on a multimodal nanocomposite termed as nanocargos. The battle against cancer is much more effectively fought if it is aided by early detection and, potentially concurrent, efficient treatment. NANOCARGO, introduces a new paradigm that theranostics can be made far more effective if a multimodal action can be integrated by adding a plasmonic shell to a magnetic nanoparticle core. The plasmonic shell can be functionalized with the chemotherapeutic drugs and aptamars. Magnetic@gold and magnetic@silver type core/shell nanocargos can be conjugated with anticancer aptamer. These nanocargos can be stimulated by simultaneous application of magnetic hyperthermia and photonic therapy. Cellular delivery can benefit from photoporation. Anticancer therapy can thus be made much more effective through the multimodal actions of these nanocargos exposed to endo-luminal, minimally invasive optical stimulation and extra-corporeal magnetic resonance imaging based excitation. Such a combined will maximise the delivery of these nanocargos into tumor cells. The magnetic core is advantageous for a controlled delivery of aptamer through an externally applied magnetic field. Gold and silver shell will support aptamer attachment. X-ray computed Tomography (CT) imaging contrast of absorbing tumors will be better due to higher X-ray absorption of gold and silver.

Fields of science

• social sciencessociologydemographymortality
• natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrytransition metals
• medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologybreast cancer
• engineering and technologymedical engineeringdiagnostic imagingmagnetic resonance imaging
• engineering and technologynanotechnologynano-materials

Keywords

• Biomedical nanotechnology
• magnetic nanoparticles
• Photothermal effect
• photodynamic therapy
• MRI imaging
• cancer therapy

Programme(s)

• H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme
• H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility

Topic(s)

• MSCA-IF-2016 - Individual Fellowships

Call for proposal

H2020-MSCA-IF-2016

Funding Scheme

Coordinator