Flagship Project NANOMAX – ENCODER
Title: NANOMAX – ENCODER: Engineered Nanostructures for Cellular imaging and for intracellular delivery of Optically active Drugs for cardiac hypERtrophy
Principal Investigator at ICCOM: Giuliano Giambastiani
Project Type: National – MIUR Flagship Projects
Duration: 01/01/2012-31/12/2019
Abstract: Proposal core is the development and characterization of complex nanostructures for therapy/sensing and multimodal diagnosis/imaging applications in pathologic cardiac hypertrophy. The nanostructures will carry discriminating probes for their selective internalization into unhealthy cells and will be also equipped with molecular beacons, DNA-based drugs emitting fluorescence once the interaction with the molecular target occurs. Other oligonuclotide-based molecules will be also used to enhance the inhibition of cell functions upon the interaction with intracellular targets. Different nanocarriers will be considered: silica, gold and PMMA nanoparticles, mono/bi-dimensional carbon nanomaterials (CNTs, graphene and its derivatives), and engineered magnetic-erythrocytes. Drug release from the nanocarriers will be performed by enzymatic interactions and/or controlled thermal activation. The effect of these theranostic complexes will be assessed in vitro and in vivo on animal models.
Partnership: ICCOM-CNR, IFAC-CNR, IFC-CNR
Other ICCOM participants: Giuliano Giambastiani, Andrea Rossin, Maurizio Peruzzini
Financed by: MIUR (Flagship Project – National Research Programme)