Project description
Targeted nanoparticles for liver cancer treatment
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common form of liver cancer and one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Current treatments offer limited efficacy, partly because drugs are not delivered specifically to tumour cells. The liver naturally overexpresses a receptor called ASGPR, which makes it an attractive target for precision drug delivery. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the LOTUS project aims to develop liposomal nanoparticles that selectively bind ASGPR and deliver the cancer drug sorafenib directly to liver tumour cells. Combining ligand discovery, nanocarrier engineering, and preclinical validation, the project will assess targeting efficiency and therapeutic efficacy across liver cancer models with varying receptor expression levels.
Objective
This project will deliver a lipid-based formulation that is targeted to the the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) for effective and stratified treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is one of the leading causes of cancer related deaths worldwide.
We will identify high-affinity glycopeptide ligands to ASGPR and test their capacity to target HCC cells. Optimised glycopeptide hits will be conjugated to PEGylated liposomal nanocarriers for targeted delivery of the kinase inhibitor, sorafenib. The approach combines ligand discovery, peptide chemistry, nanocarrier engineering, and preclinical validation in vitro and in vivo.
The project will assess receptor selective uptake, therapeutic efficacy, and stratification potential in HCC models with higher and lower ASGPR expression. The innovation of this project is in going beyond conventional peptide ligands to develop novel glycopeptide targeting motifs that improve upon existing motifs used for siRNA delivery to the liver. The project is based upon strong preliminary findings from the host lab at UCL and will serve as a springboard for a nee research theme of targeted kinase inhibitor delivery for cancer.
This fellowship will enhance the researcher’s expertise in glycopeptide ligand discovery, translational drug delivery, and advanced cancer models, while strengthening UCL’s leadership in peptide-directed nanomedicine. The results will have wider impact for precision oncology and hepatic delivery of novel therapeutics. This aligns closely with MSCA’s mission of scientific excellence, mobility, and career development.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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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.
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology nanomedicine
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
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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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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
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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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.
WC1E 6BT London
United Kingdom
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.