The project Drug-loaded and SERS-encoded plasmonic nanoparticles for targeted and image-guided treatment of ovarian cancer cells aims to develop innovative methods of promoting multiple functionalities on plasmonic nanoparticles (PNPs) for performing targeting drug delivery and diagnostic-imaging of ovarian cancer cells. Key scientific elements of the project are: (1) to fabricate PNPs that could be monitored inside ovarian cancer cells (encoding the nanoparticles with specific molecules in order to provide a distinct surface-enhanced Raman scattering signal); (2) to load nanoparticles with anticancer drugs to operate as effective therapeutic agents; (3) to integrate diagnostic imaging and therapy into a single nanoagent for developing a theranostic (therapy + diagnostic) agent. The use of theranostic nanoparticles is expected to enable in the future a more effective and personalized medical treatment.
Funding: Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research, UEFISCDI
Program from PNII: Human Resources
Budget: 550 000 lei (~ 123 000 EUR)
Period: October 2015 - September 2017
Contract no.: 278/1.10.2015
Contact
Project leader: CSII. Dr. Monica Potara
http://nano.uphero.com/en/member/Monica_Potara
e-mail: monica.potara@phys.ubbcluj.ro, tel.: 0040 (264) 454554/116
Nanobiophotonics and Laser Microspectroscopy Center
Interdisciplinary Research Institute in Bio-Nano-Sciences,Babes-Bolyai University
Treboniu Laurian Str., No. 42,400271, Cluj Napoca, Romania