NIMBLIS · Laser Induced Synthesis of Biocompatible Multifunctional Inorganic Nanoparticles: A Novel Route to Produce Multifunctional Contrast Agents for Early Diagnosis of Breast Cancer
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2016-02-01 → 2018-01-31
- EU contribution
- €166,157
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
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Results in brief
Laser Induced Synthesis of Biocompatible Multifunctional Inorganic Nanoparticles: A Novel Route to Produce Multifunctional Contrast Agents for Early Diagnosis of Breast Cancer
X-ray film mammography (FM) is the most widely used imaging modality for breast cancer screening. However, this technique shows several drawbacks to distinguish malignant tumours from those abnormal masses observed in the mammograms. To overcome the limitations of FM, this is usually combined with contras enhancement imaging techniques, such as Ultrasonography (US), X-ray computed tomography (CT), digital mammography (DM) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for clarification of mammographically equivocal lesions. However clinical application of this approach is still problematic due the lack of appropriate contrast agents showing capabilities to distinguish between malignant tumours and benign abnormal masses. This project pursues the fabrication of a new generation of multimodal contract agents (MCAs) for the diagnosis of BC by combining DM, US, MRI and CT techniques. They will consist in colloidal suspensions of nanoparticles (NPs), which will be formed by a magnetic element, to generate contrast in MRI, and radiopaque elements, with different absorption coefficient of X-rays. In doing so, we will develop a new synthesis route consists in the laser ablation of ceramic plates, sowing the same composition of the projected NPs. Once we have synthesized, characterized and stabilized these NPs, we will evaluate their citotoxicity on several cell cultures. We expect that this project will serve as a springboard for the development of future projects oriented to the functionalization of these NPs with specific biological targets for BC markers, and the in vivo validation and evaluation by the pharmacological industry of the performance of the proposed MCAS in the early diagnosis of BC.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
The main goal of this IF research proposal is to produce novel nanoparticle-based multimodal contrast agents for their use in breast cancer diagnosis by combining Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Digital Mammography, X-ray Computed Tomography and Ultrasonography. In doing so, we will develop a new high-productivity strategy to synthesize multimodal hybrid nanoparticles, which consists in femtosecond-laser-induced-ablation of a metal plate immersed into a solvent containing chemicals, in combination with direct nanosecond-laser photolysis in solution of these chemicals. This research will be coupled to an in situ study of the high-productivity laser fabrication process and the analysis of the underlying mechanisms which allows the nucleation and growth of these hybrid nanoparticles. Moreover, we will analyze the structure, composition, physical and colloidal properties of the as-synthesized hybrid nanoparticles, as well as the in vitro performance of these nanoparticles as contrast agents in Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Ultrasonography and X-ray imaging techniques. We will also evaluate the citotoxicity of the as synthesized hybrid nanoparticles in normal cells and tumor breast cells lines. Finally, we will target these nanoparticles toward the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) which is overexpressed in breast cancers with a poor prognosis and higher disease recurrence, and we will evaluated in vitro the targeting ability of the obtained anti-HER2-nanoparticles conjugates for HER2+ breast cancer cells.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- UNIVERSITAT WIEN · WienCoordinatorAustria
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union