Biocompatible Smart Nanovectors for the chemoterapy treatment of prostate cancer

In developed countries cancer is the second most important cause of death. Since 1 in 4 Canadians will die of the disease and 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer (PC), advanced chemotherapeutic treatments represent an important strategy to reduce cancer deaths without compromising a patients quality of life during and post-treatment. To this end, we will couple already established anticancer drugs (e.g. cisplatin) with innovative delivery strategies (so-called nanovectors) to more selectively deliver multiple anti-cancer drugs to cancer cells to trigger cell apoptosis and block tumor spreading. Biocompatible nanovectors labeled with a fluorescent marker will be coated with a peptide to direct the nanovector to the tumor. After loading the nanovectors with established platinum anticancer drugs, a research tool developed in Dr. Gailer’s lab (SEC-ICP-AES) will be used to determine the stability and the potential release of the platinum-drugs from the nanovector complex at physiological pH. Thereafter, the same research tool will be employed to observe the stability of those nanovector-platinum drug complexes in human blood plasma. Taken together, the proposed investigations are intended to significantly improve the targeted delivery of established anti-cancer drugs to the cancer target to develop more effective treatments against PC.

Faculty Supervisor:

Jurgen Gailer

Student:

Partner:

University of Pisa

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Education

University:

University of Calgary

Program: