Advanced bio-inorganic materials for targeted thermal & photodynamic glioblastoma multiforme therapy
2007 Women’s Council Seed Grant
Elena Rozhkova, Ph.D.
The University of Chicago
In this project new strategies of Glioblastoma multiforme therapy on the base of designed magnetic or semiconductor bio-nano materials are proposed. Biocompatible magnetic particles or nanoscaled semiconductor titanium oxide will be fabricated and functionalized for clinically applicable directed cancer targeting and use in magnetic hyperthermia or photodynamic cancer therapy.
The long term goal of the proposal is to utilize biomedical nanoengineering to improve the outcome of cancer patients. Cancer is the 2nd leading cause of death in the US and about 2.5 million new cases are diagnosed every year, with about ~500,000 Americans dying annually, that is, >1,500 people/day. Advancing the treatment options for cancer therapy may not only improve the quality of life for an individual patient but also have a tremendous socioeconomic impact on our Nation, as even small, incremental advances in cancer survival and disability will inevitably lead to a large health care benefit. Specifically, it is anticipated that with the completion of the proposed research Dr. Rozhkova will have obtained the critical preliminary data needed to support the rational design and fabrication of novel magnetic materials for targeted cancer treatment.
