September 28, 2010
A team of UNC scientists has received a five-year $2,308,800 grant from the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Nanotechnology Platform Partnerships to address the critical need for early diagnosis of and more effective treatments for pancreatic cancer.
Wenbin Lin, PhD, professor of chemistry and pharmacy, and Jen Jen Yeh, MD, assistant professor of surgery, are the principal investigators. Leaf Huang, PhD, Fred Eshelman Distinguished Professor and chair of molecular pharmaceutics in the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, is the co-investigator. All are members of UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Lin is a faculty member in the UNC College of Arts and Sciences.
Using targeted nanoparticle technology, based on nanomaterials developed in the Lin lab, the scientists will design nanoscale metal-organic frameworks — a new class of hybrid nanomaterials — capable of carrying both imaging and therapeutic cargoes or multiple drugs to increase therapeutic effect. The efficacy of these nanomaterials will be evaluated in preclinical work by Yeh. Huang will help to modify the pharmcokinetics of the nanomaterials.
“Pancreatic cancer is difficult to detect early and to treat,” Lin says. “By developing a more targeted delivery system for imaging, we hope to be able to detect tumors earlier. And by using the hybrid nanomaterials to deliver drugs directly to the tumor, we could lessen side effects for patients.
Other institutions receiving platform partnerships are Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, Emory University, Northeastern University, Northwestern University. Rice University, University of Cincinnati, University of Nebraska Medical Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, and the University of Utah.
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