Biology Biotech
The Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology and Chemical Microsystems (NAMI) Unit at the University of Helsinki has a diverse portfolio of research, ranging from nanocarrier drug delivery technology to the latest developments in bioanalysis. We spoke to Dr Hélder A. Santos and Dr Tiina M. Sikanen about their respective work
Investigating nanomedicines and bioanalysis
The progress of nanotechnology during the last few decades has had a strong impact on the current research of biomedical applications, in particular against diseases such as cancer. It is estimated that more than 12 million cases of cancer are diagnosed every year worldwide. Multidrug resistance, rapid elimination by the immune system, enzymatic degradation and poor targeting efficiency are still the major obstacles of the nanomedicines used in cancer therapy. Nanocarriers are currently being widely investigated as a potential
solution to
improve the solubility of poor water soluble drugs and for delivering the drugs to target sites. The European Research Council recently
provided a grant to Dr Hélder A. Santos of the University of Helsinki to develop new nanomedicines for cancer therapy.
www.projectsmagazine.eu.com
Specifically, his group will be using porous silicon-based nanomaterials, a form of silicon that has nanoholes in its nanostructure. By precisely engineering and modifying this material, it is possible to use it as a highly effective platform for delivering drug molecules to very specific areas of the body. The severe side effects of cancer-fighting drugs are well documented, so by delivering them to the cancer cells and ensuring that healthy cells remain unaffected by them, the effectiveness of these nanomedicines can be greatly enhanced. Santos outlines the mechanism by which novel
their drug-delivery nanosystem
works: “We have fabricated a multi-stage nanosystem. This begins by incorporating the porous nanomaterials inside another nanostructure,
forming a ‘nano-in-nano’ composite,” he explains. “The precise
targeting of the system is achieved by modifying the outer layer of the nanocomposite so that it will attach precisely to surface receptors specific to cancer cells, after which the nanocomposite will incorporate itself inside the cells.” “The outer surface layer of the
nanocomposite then disintegrates, releasing the second stage of our nanosystem that carries the drug molecules designed to kill the cancer cells,” Santos continues. “You can think of the whole nanosystem almost like a smart machine that has been designed to carry out a very specific ‘search and destroy’ function inside the body.” At present, Santos’ group is optimising
the first stage of the nanosystem, using in vitro studies to look at a number of parameters on the nanomaterials. Santos believes that the method can be effective for many different types of cancer cells:
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