From biowaste to precision cancer treatment
Cancer diagnosis and treatment often rely on separate technologies, meaning that clinicians may need different procedures to locate tumours, assess their characteristics and deliver treatment. Developing safer tools that can combine these functions could help make cancer care more precise while reducing the burden on patients.
From biomass to multifunctional nanohybrids
With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions(opens in new window) programme, the UNAT(opens in new window) project has investigated ultrasmall carbon-based nanohybrids designed to combine cancer imaging and therapy in a single platform. By integrating organic carbon structures with metal components, researchers sought to exploit their complementary properties for theranostic applications. A distinctive feature of the approach is its emphasis on sustainable synthesis. Carbon cores can be produced from biomass and biowaste, including coffee waste(opens in new window) and peanut shells(opens in new window), providing an alternative source for the production of nanomaterials. The resulting nanohybrids can be functionalised to control how they interact with biological cells and where they accumulate.
Imaging and treatment in one platform
“Carbon-based nanohybrids developed in the UNAT project represent a highly promising next-generation medical tool because they seamlessly combine advanced diagnostics and targeted therapy into a single, ultrasmall platform,” explains the principal investigator Vladimir Lysenko. Their small size (under 20 nm) and physicochemical properties allow the nanohybrids to generate different imaging signals. Unlike standard clinical contrast agents, UNAT nanohybrids are bimodal, emitting multispectral fluorescence for high-resolution cellular and intra-operative visualisation. At the same time, they provide high-contrast, deep-tissue magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In clinical practice, this would mean that if both fluorescent and MRI signals light up in a specific area, there is high diagnostic confidence that it is cancerous tissue. Importantly, their ultrasmall hydrodynamic size and negative surface charge ensure rapid and efficient clearance through both renal and hepatobiliary pathways. This virtually eliminates long-term toxicity risks.
Towards personalised cancer care
UNAT has demonstrated the potential of these nanohybrids not only as imaging agents but also as therapeutic tools. Several carbon dots showed intrinsic antitumour activity(opens in new window) in vivo, with a nitrogen-rich formulation achieving up to 93 % tumour growth inhibition and reducing lung metastasis in a mouse model. Nanohybrids containing gadolinium demonstrated radiosensitising effects with repeated administration in vivo, leading to 97 % tumour growth inhibition. Although significant steps remain before clinical use can be considered, UNAT’s results provide a basis for further development. Researchers will need to clarify the mechanisms underlying the strong antitumour effects, optimise administration and test the nanohybrids across a wider range of tumour models. The next phase will also involve intellectual property protection, scale-up of synthesis under good manufacturing practice conditions, and formal toxicology and pharmacokinetic studies before potential phase I clinical trials. If these steps are successful, the multimodal technology could contribute to more personalised cancer care and support more targeted treatment decisions and monitoring of treatment response over time. “Rather than relying solely on population-level responses, such an approach could help identify patients most likely to benefit from a particular treatment,” concludes Lysenko.
