Developing functionalised artificial magnetosomes as theranostic agents for cancer nanomedicine.

Summary: A novel chemotherapy drug (Olaparib) is more active if the cancer cell is heated. Magnetic Nano-particles (MNPs) are can be magnetically guided to a tumour, are selectively retained in tumours, can be imaged by MRI and can be activated to emit heat using an alternating magnetic field. This PhD project will bring these findings together to produce MNPs linked to Olaparib, developing a novel and targeted way to induce chemosensitivity to Olaparib and thus treat many different cancer patients. The project will span biology, medicine and chemistry giving the student a unique cross-disciplinary training in developing novel techniques for cancer therapy.
Project outline: The student will produce theranostic (MNP) for biomedical applications including hyperthermia induced sensitization to the chemotherapy drug family of PARP inhibitors. A series of particles will be produced, and assessed for cancer cell uptake and thermodynamic properties. Once optimised MNPs will be heated in cells in vitro using an alternating magnetic field (magnetic hyperthermia treatment) and used in conjunction with the novel chemotheraputic drug (Olaparib - a PARP inhibitor). Finally, the MNP based therapy developed will be tested in vivo using tumours in mouse models with imaging and focusing of MNPs being demonstrated using MRI.