Nanoparticle-based local hybrid radiotherapy and radiotoxic chemotherapy (NanoLYRIC)

During cancer treatment with radiation and chemotherapy, healthy cells are also damaged. With a new approach to combating tumors, the “NanoLYRIC” project at Aalen University aims to kill cancer cells more effectively and efficiently than before, while reducing side effects on healthy tissue. To this end, novel gold nanoparticles are to be developed that are loaded with chemotherapeutic agents. These absorb increased radiation in the tumor tissue during radiotherapy and only release the chemotherapeutic agents selectively and only in the tumor when irradiated. This simultaneous combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, mediated by the nanoparticles, enhances the effect of the cancer therapy by selectively killing only the cancer cells and sparing healthy tissue.

The project includes studies on breast cancer cells taken from the tissue of animal models. Cross-scale imaging techniques are used for the evaluation.

The aim is to reduce the side effects of the therapy on healthy tissue and on the organism as a whole, while at the same time improving therapeutic efficacy and thus increasing the quality of life and survival chances of patients.