Phase-change nanodroplets for ultrasound based theranostics

用于超声治疗诊断的相变纳米液滴

• 批准号: 2899729
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Glasgow
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2024 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2899729
• 关键词: Phase; change; nanodroplets; ultrasound; based

Ultrasound is ubiquitous in diagnostic medicine to image tissue non-invasively. To improve image quality, tiny microbubbles of gas are used as a safe and non-toxic contrast agent. The microbubbles scatter sound more efficiently than the surrounding tissues to provide better images, but can also be used to enhance tissue and cellular porosity, for safe and non-invasive targeted drug and gene delivery. However, despite a number of in-man studies now having taken place, delivery efficiencies remain low. It is also challenging to get these microbubbles into solid tumours where they are needed because of the tumour micro-environment. A new innovation, phase-change nanodroplets could provide the solution. Their smaller size means they can escape the vasculature and better penetrate tissues. They can be more stable than gas-filled microbubbles allowing them to stay in the body for longer. They can also still be activated to become a microbubble at the location of interest, therefore retaining the attractive microbubble properties. Just like microbubbles they can also be functionalized to carry a therapeutic cargo or attach to specific protein markers of diseaseThe aim of the project is to investigate the therapeutic and diagnostic potential of phase-change nanodroplets as a combined theranostic (therapy and diagnosis) platform in colorectal cancer. The student will join an existing team already working in this area and will be responsible for the optimisation of nanodroplet fabrication and characterisationtechniques. They will investigate the potential of these nanodroplets to deliver both improved ultrasound imaging of hard to interrogate tumours, and to act as an ultrasound stimulated vector to deliver therapeutic agents. In the second year, the student will have the opportunity to undertake secondment to the University of Waterloo to access a novel in vitro research platform.

超声波在诊断医学中无处不在，可对组织进行非侵入性成像。为了提高图像质量，微小的微气泡被用作安全无毒的造影剂。微泡比周围组织更有效地散射声音，以提供更好的图像，但也可用于增强组织和细胞的孔隙率，以实现安全、非侵入性的靶向药物和基因递送。然而，尽管现在已经进行了许多人体研究，但交付效率仍然很低。由于肿瘤微环境的原因，将这些微泡放入需要它们的实体瘤中也具有挑战性。一项新的创新——相变纳米液滴可以提供解决方案。它们较小的尺寸意味着它们可以逃离脉管系统并更好地穿透组织。它们比充气微泡更稳定，可以在体内停留更长时间。它们仍然可以在感兴趣的位置被激活成为微泡，因此保留了有吸引力的微泡特性。就像微泡一样，它们也可以被功能化以携带治疗货物或附着在疾病的特定蛋白质标记上。该项目的目的是研究相变纳米液滴作为结直肠癌联合治疗诊断（治疗和诊断）平台的治疗和诊断潜力。癌症。该学生将加入已经在该领域工作的现有团队，并将负责纳米液滴制造和表征技术的优化。他们将研究这些纳米液滴的潜力，以提供改进的难以询问的肿瘤的超声成像，并充当超声刺激载体来提供治疗剂。第二年，学生将有机会借调到滑铁卢大学，访问一个新颖的体外研究平台。