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Research Project #5
TiO2 Nanocomposites for Targeted Treatment and Imaging of Prostate Cancer
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Gayle E. Woloschak, radiology, and cell and molecular biology, is project leader. Co-investigators involved in the project are Zhou Wang and Chung Lee, urology; Raymond C. Bergan, hematology/oncology, Thomas J. Meade; Tatjana Paunesku, radiology; Alice M. Wyrwicz; and Mark A. Ratner, chemistry. |
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Prostate cancer is a heterogeneous disease, in which initial treatments are usually successful, but the percent of relapse is high and there are few efficient treatments for advanced local and metastatic disease. The goal of this research team is to develop new approaches to prostate cancer therapy by developing nanocomposites that can be used for treatment of advanced prostate cancer and for imaging of disseminated prostate cancer cells. Titanium dioxide based nanocomposites (TiNCs) that belong to the category of bio-nanocomposites—nanometer-sized particles created by the conjugation of inorganic and "traditionally" biological molecules—are being developed. These nanocomposites are prepared from metal oxide (TiO2 ) nanoparticles and DNA oligonucleotides covalently bound to the nanoparticles via dopamine. TiNCs behave as inducible gene specific endonucleases with allele-differentiating sequence specificity. The group is working to develop TiNCs to (1) cleave specific DNA targets involved in prostate cancer cell growth, and (2) to use TiNCs coupled with gadolinium (Gd) compounds to image disseminated prostate cancer cells in mice using magnetic resonance (MRI). Eventually, the group hopes to combine imaging and treatment capabilities into a single nanocomposite. |
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