Descrizione del progetto
Miglioramento della distribuzione dei farmaci basata su nanoparticelle
I recenti progressi in nanotecnologia hanno spianato la strada all’uso delle nanoparticelle nella terapia del cancro come veicoli per la distribuzione dei farmaci. Nonostante i vantaggi della distribuzione dei farmaci con nanoparticelle, compresa un’elevata selettività e una ridotta tossicità, diversi aspetti del processo, quali l’acquisizione di proteine dopo l’iniezione in vivo, rimangono sfuggenti. Il progetto NanoRNA_PC, finanziato dall’UE, utilizzerà metodologie all’avanguardia per caratterizzare la corona proteica formata su nanoparticelle di RNA in seguito all’interazione con componenti biologici. Comprendere la composizione della corona proteica sulle nanoparticelle dovrebbe migliorarne la progettazione e l’esito biologico.
Obiettivo
In the past three decades, nanomedicine has emerged as a promising strategy in cancer treatment and has led to numerous proposed drug delivery systems. Nanoparticles aim to improve selectivity towards cancer cells while reducing off-target effects and toxicity towards normal cells. Among these systems, self-assembled RNA nanoparticles have been of great interest for drug delivery, because of their low cost, high yielding assembly and retained functionality. Yet, challenges such as poor nuclease resistance, biodistribution and cellular delivery remains to be addressed, to fully propels these structures towards clinical applications. To optimize these systems, there is a huge need to understand precisely their interactions with biological components. In particular, upon injection in vivo, it is known that serum proteins adsorb on nanoparticles. The composition of this so-called protein-corona on RNA particles remains fully unexplored.
Herein, I propose to characterize the protein corona on RNA nanoparticles using state-of-the-art methodologies (proteomics, super-resolution microscopy, SELEX), as well as understand the role the corona on the fate of RNA structures. I will engineer the protein corona to improve biological outcomes of RNA particles, previously developed by Sixfold Bioscience Ltd. Overall, the project aims at providing tools and rules for rational engineering of the protein corona. In the long term, the project, grouping experts in industry and in academia, aims towards the development of a preclinical candidate, as well as answering fundamental questions on nanoparticles delivery.
Campo scientifico
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
MSCA-IF-EF-SE - Society and Enterprise panelCoordinatore
W12 0BZ London
Regno Unito
L’organizzazione si è definita una PMI (piccola e media impresa) al momento della firma dell’accordo di sovvenzione.