Scientists headed by Prof. Vladimir Torchilin recently published an overview of the research results achieved in collaboration with the PHI – Northeastern University Program of Excellence for Quantitative Holographic Imaging at Northeastern University in Boston. The overview “Applications of Label-Free, Quantitative Phase Holographic Imaging Cytometry to the Development of Multi-Specific Nanoscale Pharmaceutical Formulations” was published in the scientific journal Cytometry Part A, covering research results published in five peer reviewed articles and five scientific posters. For more information about the program and its publications, see here.
Encapsulating cancer drugs in nanoparticles
Prof. Torchilin with colleagues are leading experts in encapsulating cancer drugs in nanoparticles. Current chemotherapy has severe side effects because the cancer drugs also affect the normal cells. Prof. Torchilin’s research aim to improve current chemotherapy by developing “smart” nanoparticles that encapsulates cancer drugs which are only activated when the particles reach a tumor, leaving normal non-tumor cells unaffected.
Enzyme activated nanoparticles
In one of the studies, published in the scientific journal Small, the scientists at Northeastern created nanoparticles that encapsulated the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin together with another anti-cancer substance. The particles were designed in such a way that the encapsulated drugs were only activated by an enzyme associated with cancer cells. Using HoloMonitor, the scientists were able to observe and quantify in great detail how the novel nanoparticles suppressed the aggressive behavior of cancer cells.
