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Unraveling the Photochemistry of Radiosensitizers and Radioprotectors in Free Biomolecular Complexes

Objective

Dramatically increasing cancer cases around the world call for extra research efforts to improve cancer therapies. Radiation therapy or radiotherapy is one of the most common treatment methods. A way to enhance radiotherapy is inserting radiosensitizers (RSs) and radioprotectors (RPs) into the patients body. RSs in tumor cells make them more sensitive to radiation damage, allowing one to use reduced radiation doses, thus minimizing side effects. In contrast, RPs inhibit the damage of healthy cells from radiation. RSs and RPs are actively studied mostly in clinical trials. However, the fundamental mechanisms causing damage or death of cancer cells are not fully understood. Therefore, this project aims at elucidating the elementary steps of radiation damage, their enhancement by RSs, and their inhibition by RPs. The technique combines beams of mixed molecular clusters and doped helium nanodroplets uniquely with synchrotron spectroscopy, electron spectroscopy, and ion mass spectrometry. The main goals are to unravel the photochemistry of selected organic RS compounds (nimorazole, NIMO, bromoadenine, WR-1065 dihydrochloride), metal ions (Mg2+, Ca2+, K+), and gold (RS) and silver (RP) nanoparticles in the state of controlled microhydration and contact with DNA components (thymine, cytosine, tetrahydrofuran). Emission of slow electrons, water fragmentation, and anions formation are observables for radiation damage enhanced by RSs. A time-resolved experiment on the tetrahydrofuran-water complex will elucidate the ultrafast dynamics of intermolecular energy transfer causing dissociation, a mechanism recently identified to play an important role in radiation damage. A better understanding of the radiochemistry of RPs and RSs obtained with this project may help develop new schemes for efficient cancer treatment and identify new types of molecules or nanoparticles with improved RS or RP properties.

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Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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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.

(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01

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Coordinator

AARHUS UNIVERSITET
Net EU contribution

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.

€ 230 774,40
Address
NORDRE RINGGADE 1
8000 Aarhus C
Denmark

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Region
Danmark Midtjylland Østjylland
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

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.

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