Networking Activities for Nanotechnology-Facilitated Cancer Theranostics

Project Information

NANOFACTS

Grant agreement ID: 952259

DOI

10.3030/952259

Project closed

EC signature date 11 June 2020

Start date 1 January 2021

End date 30 June 2024

Funded under

• Twinning of research institutions

Total cost

€ 899 823,75

EU contribution

€ 899 823,75

Coordinated by

BIOSENSE INSTITUTE - RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES IN BIOSYSTEMS
Serbia

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - NANOFACTS (Networking Activities for Nanotechnology-Facilitated Cancer Theranostics)

Reporting period: 2022-04-01 to 2024-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The main goal of NANOFACTS was to enhance research capabilities at Biosense institute related to research in cancer theranostics nanomaterials and biosensing diagnostics of cancer, and to promote collaboration with internationally leading institutions at EU level.
In order to widen the research agenda at BIOS with cancer-related research and health-related biosensing technologies, NANOFACTS will harness and improve pre-existing links with two leading European research institutions in the field of nanotechnology and development of biosensors:
• Trinity College Dublin (TCD), Ireland, The School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, an expert in the application of nanotechnology for cancer treatment and imaging; and its validation, including biocompatibility of nanoparticles/nanodevices.
• Vienna University of Technology (TUW), Faculty of Technical Chemistry, Institute of Applied Synthetic Chemistry and Institute of Chemical Technologies and Analytics, an expert in devising health-related biosensors.

The main strategies to be explored during the project activities included:
a) BIOS researchers gaining knowledge on devising theranostic nanoparticles for real-time in vivo detection of cancer biomarkers, along with simultaneous targeted cancer therapy and imaging and b) enhancing the capacity of biosensing technologies at BIOS with cancer-related biosensing, including construction of an array of user-friendly personalized point of-care microfluidic and electronic diagnostic devices for electronic and optical sensing of cancer biomarkers, which could be introduced to home disease-monitoring.

NANOFACTS objectives involved enhancing the scientific & technological (S&T) capacity of biosensing technologies at BIOS into the field of biosensors for cancer and building the S&T capacity of BIOS to perform research in nanotechnology and its application for cancer therapy, imaging and early diagnosis of cancer.
Further research activities and hands-on skill transfer measures were performed by collaboration with Project partners toward the development of novel theranostic nanomaterials and efficient devices for cancer diagnostics and toward career development of BIOS staff.

As a result of NANOFACTS activities, future research is expected to change the medical practice in oncology. NANOFACTS-enabled cancer diagnostic/therapy solutions are expected to contribute to early cancer diagnostics, for real-time monitoring of the treatment progress and for cancer-specific treatment, which would allow lower occurence of side effects and complications than the current treatment options. In addition to the benefits for the health of cancer patients, in terms of more efficient diagnostic and therapeutic methodologies, more efficient cancer treatments are expected to lower the overall costs for the patients and the national health systems.

The new NANOFACTS-enabled technology and newly trained BIOS staff, are also expected to trigger a whole new field of business. These new business opportunities will revolve around the commercialization of new nanomaterials and nanodevices for sensing cancer biomarkers, cancer imaging and cancer therapy.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

In total eight Expert Visits (EVs) from TUW and TCD to BIOS were carried out as planned. Four of these visits were organized during the Training School (TS) event at BIOS. Three additional EVs were organized in 2024 from TUW and one EV from TCD.
The total number of Workshops (WSs) organized at BIOS was six. Four WSs were organized during the TS event. Additional WS lectures were given at BIOS in 2024 during expert visits.
In total, 73 researchers from BIOS participated in all 6 workshops.
The total number of Mentor Visits from BIOS to TCD and TUW was 10.
The ESRs spent total of 36 months at partner institutions, 27.5 months at TUW and 8.5 months at TCD. In total, 12 ESRs participated in these extended stay visits (ESVs).
One Training School was organized at BIOS, in Novi Sad, Serbia, at the BioSense Institute, Rectorate Building, and Science & Technology Park, in the period 27th June – 1st July 2022.
In total, there were 149 participants during the Training School.
The number of speakers at the Training school was 22.
Number of Invited External Speakers for TS (not including BIOS, TCD and TUW) was 12.
The total number of lectures during NANOFACTS on career building measures was 12.
Seventeen experienced researchers in total from BIOS participated in NANOFACTS activities. Additional 32 experienced researchers/professors from other institutions in Serbia (excluding BIOS) participated in the TS event.
In total, 26 Young Scientists from BIOS (Master and PhD students, young Postdocs) gained new skills, including additional 22 young scientists from other institutions that attended the TS event.
Regarding research activities, 20 novel theranostic nanomaterials have been constructed, and their ability for cancer therapy and diagnostics has been tested.
Regarding the topic of sensing cancer biomarkers, the total of 12 prototypes were developed.
Eight peer-reviewed articles have been published in the area of novela nanomaterials for cancer therapy and imaging, while six peer-reviewed articles were focues on cancer diagnostics.
In total the consortium published 14 peer-reviewed publications, 2 preprint publications and 13 conference papers.
During NANOFACTS the consortium members participated in 27 different scientific conferences and events. BIOS researchers participated in 24 of these events which covered topics from WP2, WP3, WP5 and WP6.
BIOS participated in six applications to Horizon2020/Horizon Europe call of proposals related to the topics of NANOFACTS.
One additional project application was submitted to the call from the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The activities under NANOFACTS project aimed at adopting the necessary skill-set by BIOS researchers, for devising theranostic nanoparticles combining the real time cancer biomarker (CB)-detection in patients, along with simultaneous therapy and imaging. This three-modal function will facilitate the detection of physiological hurdles during the treatment process and consequentially facilitate the process of treatment optimization.
The project activities aimed at gaining the knowledge on designing tumour targeting nanoparticles, capable of selective cancer treatment, along with capabilities in signaling the presence of specific CBs within the tumour tissues. A change in externally readable signal (e.g. change in relaxation rate of a MR contrast agent) would give information on the presence of the specific CB in the tumour tissue in vivo. The desired change in the readable signal would be accomplished by construction of a new generation of functionalized porous silica-based nanoparticles.
It is expected that the gained knowledge by BIOS staff on construction of point-of-care microfluidic and electronic sensing devices for highly sensitive and selective detection of cancer biomarkers could be applied in the future for point-of-care detection of cancer biomarkers from the patients’ blood, saliva or breath.

Representation of nanomaterials and methodologies for research training during NANOFACTS project