ACMENANOTOOLS Activatable Metallodrugs for New Nanoinspired Anticancer Tools

Dr. Ana Pizarro

Funding : Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad. Programa Retos de la Sociedad 2013-2016. CTQ2014-60100-R

Duration: 2015 - 2017

36 months

This project we produce new chemical entitities − metalloorganic drugs, with biocatalytic activity in human cells. Aware of the challenge that is healthy-cell toxicity of current anticancer drugs, we propose that these drugs are synthesised as prodrugs. We will take advantage of advanced metal coordination chemistry and organometallic chemistry principles to develop innovative ways of activating the drugs at the tumour site: (a) taking advantage of the physicochemical differences of cancerous tissues, from the tumour microenvironment to the cell nucleus; and (b) by phototriggered ligand substitution reactions. This will provide selectivity for cancerous tissues. The extraordinary complexity of carcin

ogenesis will be met by loading the metallodrugs onto nanocarriers bearing targeting and drug-modulating functionalizations.

The research programme is highly interdisciplinary bringing together chemistry, cell biology and physics in the search for truly innovative (nano)medicines that revolutionise the field of cancer research at the translational level.