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  5. Thermoablation of melanoma and mammary carcinoma with injected nanoparticles coupled to radiotherapy - THERMINATOR (DSB.AD007.209)
Research project

Thermoablation of melanoma and mammary carcinoma with injected nanoparticles coupled to radiotherapy - THERMINATOR (DSB.AD007.209)

Thematic area

Biomedical sciences

Project area

Biomedicina Traslazionale (DSB.AD007)

Structure responsible for the research project

Institute of clinical physiology (IFC)

Project manager

LUCA MENICHETTI
Phone number: 050 315 3229
Email: luca.menichetti@ifc.cnr.it

Abstract

The purpose of this project is to develop a theranostic strategy to improve cancer therapy by combi-nation of gold nanoparticles-dependent hyperthermia and radiotherapy. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) absorbe in the Near Infrared (NIR) spectrum, resulting in localized heating when they are irradiated with a proper laser, thus producing "thermoablation" of target tissues. The main obstacle to be overcome for their use is their biodistribution. We propose to increase the delivery of NPs into tumors (melanoma and breast cancer) by using live cells, such as endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), with innate tumor-homing ability, as carriers of AuNPs. In particular, we isolated from human umbilical cord a sub-type of EPCs termed "Endothelial Colony Forming Cells"(ECFC), and decided to use them as vehicle of AuNPs.

Start date of activity

30/01/2020

Keywords

Imaging, photoacoustic

Last update: 08/06/2025