This collaborative project will combine the U.S. counterpart's expertise in silicon nanotechnology with the French counterpart's expertise in mesoporous drug delivery materials, photophysics, photodynamic therapeutic agents, and clinical photodynamic therapy on prostate cancer to develop photoactive anti-cancer materials based on biodegradable porous silicon nanoparticles. A main goal is to provide higher yields of singlet oxygen and/or reactive oxygen species to induce irreversible cell damage in the vicinity of cancer cells for more effective photodynamic therapy (PDT). The NSF-funded U.S. counterpart will focus on fundamental materials science issues: synthesis of porous Si nanoparticles with improved synthetic yields and PDT quantum yields, and development of optimal surface chemistries for PDT, biocompatibility, and targeting. The French funded counterpart lab will focus on the biological applications: targeting of nanoparticles inside cancer cells and one- and two-photon PDT in cancer cells.
NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Photodynamic therapy (PDT), a treatment that combines the use of a sensitizing agent and light to kill cancer cells, has been in clinical use for over a decade. Despite the advantages of the therapy itself, photosensitizers in use today display toxic or other side effects that limit their use. The goal of the collaborative project is to combine the advantages of nanotechnology with photodynamic therapeutic agents to develop more effective anti-cancer materials and it will focus on biodegradable porous silicon nanoparticles The team from the U.S. includes graduate students, undergraduate students, and high school students. The effort will involve visits by U.S. and French students to the counterpart laboratories for month-long research experiences. The educational outreach activities will include a "Summer School for Silicon Nanotechnology," in which ten U.S. high school students will be hosted in the UCSD lab for one month every summer.
This project is supported by the Biomaterials program and the Office of Special Programs, Division of Materials Research.
