Research
The research activities are focused on Innovative Cancer Treatments through the development of Light-Responsive Nanomaterials and Injectable Hydrogels.
Light-Responsive Nanomaterials
Chemotherapeutic regimens are characterized by a weak efficacy and by numerous side effects. Thus, in the last decades there has been a surge in the development of nanoparticles due to their potential to address the limitations of the chemotherapeutic drugs.
These nanoscale materials can encapsulate chemotherapeutic drugs and deliver them at the tumor site, contributing to improve the treatments’ efficacy and safety. Nevertheless, cancer cells can still counteract drug-loaded nanoparticles by up-regulating their drug resistance machinery.
This harsh reality has motivated us to develop Light-Responsive Nanomaterials. We have been producing nanostructures that can produce a local hyperthermia after interacting with laser light. The photothermal heating mediated by these nanomaterials has an excellent spatial-temporal resolution, causing irreversible damages to cancer cells (through protein denaturation or lipid melting).
Injectable Hydrogels
The clinical translation of anticancer nanomedicines has been discouraging. Further investigation disclosed that less than 1% (median) of the nanomaterials reach the tumor site after systemic administration. Thus, in the last decade there has been a rise in the development of macroscale system for performing the local delivery of nanomaterials into tumor zone.
These macroscale systems (e.g. injectable hydrogels, microneedles, scaffolds) can incorporate high payloads of nanomaterials into their structure. Afterwards, their local administration (through intratumoral injection or surgery) ensures a tumor-confined delivery of the nanoparticles.
In this regard, we have been producing Injectable Hydrogels for performing the local delivery of nanoparticles (and other anticancer agents). By carefully selecting the polymers and the crosslinking chemistry, it is possible to prepare formulations that can achieve gelation at the tumor site after intratumoral injection. Then, the local delivery of the therapeutics by these hydrogels can prompt an enhanced therapeutic effect with diminished side-effects, often outperforming the conventional administration routes (i.e. systemic injection).
The research activities are aligned with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the United Nations:
Promote well-being for all at all ages
through the development of anticancer nanomedicines, and injectable hydrogels to perform their local delivery
Foster innovation
by developing innovative technologies (nanomaterials and injectable hydrogels) whose applicability can go beyond cancer to tackle other healthcare problems (e.g. wound healing, bone repair)
Promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
through the supervision/mentoring of PhD, MSc and BSc students; by employing the newly produced scientific knowledge in undergraduate and graduate teaching
