Project description
Blue light-controlled drug-releasing implants
The inability to use high-energy blue/UV light as the signal for light-triggered on-demand drug delivery is due to a formidable physiological barrier. This makes red light the only alternative. However, red light has intrinsically lower energy and limited value in photochemical reactions because the photocleavage of covalent bonds typically requires UV light. The EU-funded PADRE project will use blue/UV light to trigger and precisely control on-demand drug-releasing implants. The project will use light generated through photon upconversion or integrated light sources. The first method will allow pioneering, effective red-to-blue/UV triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion in a hydrogel environment. The second will enable light generation by a co-implanted light source.
Objective
This proposal introduces a next-generation platform for next generation optimally personalised drug therapy: on-demand drug releasing implants triggered and controlled by blue/UV light. The technology is based on novel light generation pathways and a light-sensitive nanocellulose drug reservoir.
A formidable physiological barrier for light-triggered drug release has been the inability to use high-energy blue/UV light as the triggering signal. This is because the penetration depth of light drops to from a few cm to under 100 micrometers when moving from near-infrared to UV light, making deeper targets within tissues accessible only to red light. However, red light, with its intrinsically lower energy, has limited value in photochemical reactions because the photocleavage of covalent bonds typically requires UV-light. This is why many groups are looking at e.g. red-to-blue photon upconversion strategies. The major objective in PADRE is to circumvent the issue of unavailable blue light in implants through local light generation. Having access to light with higher energy will enable a much wider chemical toolbox, including photocleavable linkers.
I will use blue/UV light to trigger and precisely control drug release. The approach creates an unconventional way to modulate the release profiles without unwanted drug leakage. The light will be generated through either 1) photon upconversion, or 2) integrated light sources. With the first approach, I will pioneer efficient red-to-blue/UV triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion in a hydrogel environment, while in the second approach I will generate light by a co-implanted light source. Both approaches are feasible according to my preliminary results on efficient triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion and photoresponsive liposomes and will be demonstrated in a working implant prototype. The core breakthrough of PADRE will be a viable solution to employ blue excitation in precisely-tailored drug-releasing implants.
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: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology implants
- natural sciences physical sciences theoretical physics particle physics photons
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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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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
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.
ERC-COG - Consolidator Grant
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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) ERC-2020-COG
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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.
00014 HELSINGIN YLIOPISTO
Finland
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.