Project description
Enhancing application of photodynamic therapy in cancer treatment
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a minimally invasive treatment that combines photosensitising drugs, oxygen and light to kill cancer cells. It is a selective approach with minimal side effects on normal tissues, offering a promising alternative to standard chemotherapy. Despite its approval for clinical use 20 years ago, PDT still finds limited use in most cancer types. The EU-funded BIOnanoPDT project proposes to incorporate phthalocyanine as the photosensitising drug into functionalised biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles to target tumour cells. This will help to address issues associated with the selectivity, aggregation and low water solubility of photosensitising drugs, enhancing the application of PDT in the clinic.
Objective
According to the World Health Organization cancer was responsible for approximated 9.6 million deaths in 2018 what is the reason of being one of the biggest civilizational health problem, just behind the heart diseases. The global objective of interdisciplinary BIOnanoPDT project is to develop novel biodegradable phthalocyanine (Pc)-polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) which enhance cancer photodynamic therapy (PDT).
Up to now, there is no ideal therapy for cancer treatment but among the others PDT presents several advantages, e.g. it is a selective treatment with less secondary effects than other therapies. This promising therapy combines three components: photosensitizer (PS), light and oxygen. 20 years ago PDT was approved by Food and Drug Admnistration as a clinical protocol for cancer treatment but it still have limitations to use it in all types of cancer. The development of new powerful PSs, which specifically target cancer cells, and can more deeply penetrate tissue allowing to treat large tumors is still a challenge.
Phthalocyanines (Pcs) are one of the most promising second generation PSs and meet many requirements for being ideal PSs. Unfortunately, very often Pcs are hydrophobic species and undergo self-aggregation in aqueous solutions, which drastically reduces their photosensitizing efficiency. In BIOnanoPDT project the limitations of Pcs will be overcame by tailoring their properties in terms of singlet oxygen generation and by incorporating them with polymer NPs which could improve their photophysical properties, selectivity for targeted tissues by surface modification, eliminate aggregation of the PSs and their low water solubility. Additionally, it can enhance the treatment by increasing the blood circulation and selective accumulation in tumor cells.
The BIOnanoPDT project will bring many innovations to the current cancer research by novel Pc-polymer NP hybrids for cancer PDT which will be an attractive alternative for conventional drugs.
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.
- natural sciences chemical sciences polymer sciences
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- engineering and technology nanotechnology nano-materials
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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.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
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.
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.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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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) H2020-MSCA-IF-2019
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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.
41 819 Zabrze
Poland
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.