Project description
A simple yet specific drug nanocarrier
Breast cancer-associated mortality in the developing world is higher compared to high-income countries. This indicates that treatment does not reach financially deprived regions. To address this problem, the EU-funded TEMPER project proposes to develop polymeric drug nanocarriers that demonstrate higher targeting specificity and efficacy without the common side effects of conventional drugs. These nanocarriers will be highly versatile and able to be tailored to deliver any drug of choice, including antibiotics against infections, or to be used for diagnostic purposes. The simplicity and cost-effectiveness of the TEMPER drug delivery approach will ensure its applicability in developing countries.
Objective
Breast cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer in women with over two million new cases reported in 2018. It is a genetically diverse disease with each type requiring different treatment. In developing countries, the highest amount of female cancer deaths are attributed to breast cancer with substantially lower survival rates compared to the western world. Therefore, the aim of this proposal is to develop polymeric drug nanocarriers that can improve drug efficacy, and thereby have potential to make cancer treatment available to all layers of the population including those living in deprived areas. We will develop high affinity nanoparticles that can selectively bind to certain receptors on the surface of cancer cells. When attached, the nanocarriers will release their cargo (drug compounds) specifically to the tumour and thereby improve drug efficacy and subsequently patient outcome. Furthermore, it will reduce adverse effects of common anti-cancer drugs including nausea, fatigue, hepatitis and high vulnerability to endometrial cancer. The drug delivery is usually monitored with optical techniques but the novelty of this project is to use thermal analysis, which is label-free and simple to use. The polymeric nanocarriers are highly versatile and by changing the composition, we can tailor this platform to other drug compounds or other cancer types. In addition, it has high potential as a diagnostic tool in high-throughput drug testing, customization of cellular therapy, and combating bacterial infections. This project could bring tremendous benefits in cancer treatment particularly in developing countries such as India due to its low-cost and simplicity.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinator
NE1 7RU Newcastle Upon Tyne
United Kingdom