SubsidieMeestersNanoscintillators to potentiate brain cancer radiotherapy: from physics to preclinical trials
This project aims to enhance radiation therapy for glioblastoma by studying nanoscintillators' effects on tumor tissues, improving treatment efficacy while minimizing damage to healthy cells.
Projectdetails
Introduction
More than 50% of cancer patients undergo radiation therapy (RT) in the course of their treatment. However, because of a lack of specificity for tumor tissues, delivering therapeutically effective doses of X-rays with tolerable toxicity on healthy tissues remains a challenge.
Background
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common primary brain cancer in adults, has a dismal prognosis despite an aggressive standard-of-care. Developing new strategies to improve the therapeutic index of RT is therefore of major importance.
Project Aim
The aim of this project is to comprehensively study the multifaceted radiotherapeutic effect of nanoscintillators (NS) and determine how to harness these effects to improve the therapeutic index of RT. By converting high-energy photons such as X-rays into UV/visible photons, NS can augment RT by various effects.
Mechanisms of Action
These include:
- Radiation dose enhancement
- Radioluminescence-induced photodynamic therapy
- DNA damage generated by UV-radioluminescence
Objectives
This project has three main objectives:
- To elucidate the physical and photochemical origins of the radiotherapeutic effects of NS using spectroscopic studies to identify the reactive oxygen species and DNA lesions generated upon X-rays.
- To study the biological impact of the NS on 3D models and in syngeneic rat models of GBM.
- To develop an in silico program that simulates the efficacy of prospective NS and studies the impact of their composition, size, and morphology.
Future Implications
This will tailor future NS to specific malignancies with distinct biological properties. With this innovative methodology and an interdisciplinary approach that ranges from physics to biology, this project will provide ground-breaking fundamental knowledge on the radiotherapeutic effects of NS that may lead to highly valuable and clinically translatable therapies.
In the long term, this strategy may be tailored for pancreatic and metastatic ovarian cancers, for which the multifaceted enhancement of RT efficacy by NS may be of great interest.
Financiële details & Tijdlijn
Financiële details
| Subsidiebedrag | € 1.948.125 |
| Totale projectbegroting | € 1.948.125 |
Tijdlijn
| Startdatum | 1-1-2024 |
| Einddatum | 31-12-2028 |
| Subsidiejaar | 2024 |
Partners & Locaties
Projectpartners
- INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA SANTE ET DE LA RECHERCHE MEDICALEpenvoerder
Land(en)
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