Design of Carbon based nanoplatform to Target pancreatic cancer

Dr. Sofia Dominguez

According to the National Cancer Registry, more than 600 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in Ireland annually, with approximately 530 dying every year.  The 5-year survival rate following a pancreatic cancer diagnosis is just 10%.

Over the last decade, novel therapeutic approaches have sought to cure patients offering specially adapted therapies and alternatives when classic treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy are not sufficient and cause adverse effects. We propose nanomedicine, which is a sub-field of medicine that focuses on applying nanotechnology and nano-sized tools, allowing a better, more stable and controlled delivery of the active ingredient, or drug to the tumour.  This research promises an improvement in the therapeutic efficacy of the anti-cancer treatments while reducing the doses administered, and consequently the short- and long-term side effects.