ANAP

Project description

With an increasing incidence among young people, cancer is a disease that affects millions of people worldwide. While stimulation of angiogenesis in cancer favors metastasis, the anti-angiogenic therapy proved to be an important approach against tumor growth. In this respect, a well-known fact that the consumption of antioxidants can be recommended to achieve the inhibition of angiogenesis. The use of antioxidants in the form of nanoparticles could improve the efficiency of the above-mentioned therapy due to specific surface area of nanostructures, thereby ensuring better contact with cells which would increase the chances of pathological angiogenesis inhibition. The purpose of this project is to develop and validate new nanoparticles based on chitosan derivatives, taking into account not only their role as carriers, highlighted so far in literature, but their action itself, their antioxidant potential.
By an original and interdisciplinary approach, the project aims through the following directions:
(i) synthesis and physicochemical characterization of some polymeric derivatives (chitosan-derivatives) with improved biological properties;
(ii) development and characterization of new polymeric matrices in the form of nanoparticles based on new chitosan-derivatives, for the inhibition of pathologic angiogenesis;
(iii) antioxidant potential evaluation of therapeutic polymer matrices using various in vitro tests;
(iv) in vitro model (Chick Chorioallantoic Membrane model) to assess the angiogenic activity of obtained nanoparticles.
The results of the project will make a significant contribution towards:
(1) population health improvement by inhibiting the pathologic angiogenesis, thus contributing to cancer therapy;
(2) international visibility increase, as a result of the development of new active biological systems with socio-economic impact and important contributions to the global needs of the society.