Although cancer therapies have evolved in the last 50 years, still today, as researchers, we face the challenge of achieving more effective treatments for this family of diseases. The main problem of traditional therapies is their toxicity and the development of resistance. Even though most therapies are targeted to specific tumor cell pathways, many are effective against the tumor bulk, but do not eliminate infiltrating immune cells or cancer stem cells that are key players in progression and recurrence. In this context, nanotechnology is a promising tool to delineate new therapeutic strategies, since it allows to tackle several targets simultaneously.
In the NanoBio laboratory of the INS we work interdisciplinary in the design of multifunctional nanoparticles based on two axes: 1) expertise in the design and synthesis of multifunctional nanoparticles; 2) solid knowledge of the mechanisms involved in tumor progression.
The goal of this team is the development of therapies that target different key players within the tumor, decreasing systemic toxicity, and eliminating the cells responsible for tumor progression and recurrence.
Two in one: multifunctional nanoparticles for the treatment of endocrine resistant breast cancer.
The aim of this project is the development of polymersomes that target both estrogen receptor-alpha and beta-1 integrin to counteract the induction of resistance induced by the tumor microenvironment. Additionally, we seek to reduce the breast cancer stem cell population.
Posdoctoral Fellow: Dr. María Inés Díaz Bessone
Tumor associated macrophages as a therapeutic target in triple negative breast cancer: nanotechnology based strategies to avoid recurrence.
The aim of this project is to target M2 tumor infiltrating macrophages in triple negative breast cancer using phage display purified peptides to direct nanoparticles that will either eliminate or reprogram the macrophages to an M1 phenotype.
Doctoral student: Fernando Tomás Laporte
New strategies for the treatment of glioblastoma based on the use of multifunctional nanoparticles.
Glioblastoma is the most frequent and malignant brain tumor in humans. Tumor associated M2 macrophages/microglia have been shown to play a key role in glioblastoma progression. The goal of this study is to develop M2 targeted nanoparticles with the aim of reprogramming or eliminating these infiltrating cells and thus extend the life of patients suffering this disease.
Doctoral student: María José Gattás
