Project description
Smart nanotheranostics for colorectal cancer
Current treatments for colorectal cancer including chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery are non-specific and cause substantial side effects. This highlights the urgent need for safer and more effective strategies. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the DIASHUTTLE project aims to develop a multifunctional nanotheranostic platform that combines magnetic and gold nanoparticles, tumour-targeting folic acid, and the natural compound astaxanthin. This novel approach aims to simultaneously achieve targeted drug delivery, magnetic hyperthermia, and photothermal therapy. It will also facilitate real-time monitoring through imaging and spectroscopy. DIASHUTTLE promises enhanced anti-cancer efficacy and reduced toxicity.
Objective
Colorectal cancer accounted for 12.7% of all new cancer diagnosis and 12.4% of all deaths due to cancer in European Union in 2020. Despite the advances in therapeutics, it is the most recurrent tumors in humans and third common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The current treatment options include chemotherapy, radiation and surgery that are invasive and have side-effects. Also, the 1st and 2nd generation nanocarriers used in cancer therapy consisted of mono-component systems and failed due to lack of targeting molecules, remotely controlled therapeutics window, and patient-specific individualized platforms. The project DIASHUTTLE aims to develop a novel, next-generation, smart, multifunctional and multimodal, hybrid nanotheranostic platform consisting of biosilica extracted from living diatoms for simultaneous diagnosis, treatment, and therapy monitoring of colorectal cancer. It will combine magnetic nanoparticle core, surface deposited metallic gold nanoparticles, tumor targeting biomolecule folic acid, and natural source drug astaxanthin to facilitate different modes of therapy such as magnetically guided or ligand targeted drug delivery, magnetic hyperthermia, and photothermal therapy. It will also concurrently enable different modes of real-time monitoring such as Raman, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy, magnetic resonance imaging, fluorescence, and photoluminescence. It is expected that the combination of different therapies will exhibit superior synergistic anti-cancer effect over monotherapy and reduce treatment delays by offering a safe and personalized approach to overcome the limitations of conventional cancer treatment. The proposed platform will lead to less toxicity due to the use of targeting molecule and natural materials, controlled drug release, and lower effective drug concentration. Additionally, the nutrient uptake and CO2 sequestration capability of diatoms will support circular bio-economy and self-sustainability.
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.
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine surgery
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- social sciences economics and business economics bioeconomy
- engineering and technology nanotechnology nano-materials
- natural sciences physical sciences optics spectroscopy
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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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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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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) HORIZON-MSCA-2022-PF-01
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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.
00185 Roma
Italy
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.