Overview
Project Summary
Advances in nanotechnology, such as mRNA-encapsulated lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), have been central to recent medical breakthroughs, as exemplified by the widely recognized COVID-19 vaccine. However, to extend their application to novel therapies, such as to treat extra-hepatic solid tumors, proper engineering of next-generation LNPs is critical. This requires a thorough understanding of the intracellular trafficking of LNPs in living tumor cells.
In this project, we propose a novel methodology with high sensitivity and specificity for non-invasive imaging of LNP intracellular trafficking in live tumor cells at subcellular resolution, overcoming the limitations of traditional methods.
Main Goals
Improve our understanding of LNP cellular trafficking by monitoring their uptake, transport, and cargo release in tumor cells.
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Coordination
External Team
Timur Nikitin, CQC - Coimbra Chemistry Centre
Telma Costa, CQC - Coimbra Chemistry Centre
Pedro Guimarães, CIBIT - Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research
Partners
FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia
Funding
Project Details
Project Code
2023.11762.PEX
Region
Coimbra
Start Date
2025-02-20
End Date
2026-08-19
Total Cost
50000.00€
Funding Details
2023.11762.PEX
