Malignant mesothelioma is a rare and very aggressive form of cancer. Unfortunately, current treatments are often only able to relieve symptoms rather than cure the disease.
This project aims to develop a new way to deliver drugs directly to the tumor, reducing side effects and increasing treatment effectiveness.
The idea is to create small nanoparticles loaded with specific anticancer drugs and coated with a targeting exosomal membranes derived from the extracellular vesicles of the tumor cells themselves. This coating helps the particles recognize and target the tumor more precisely.
The behaviour of these nanoparticles is evaluated in vitro and in vivo in animal models, checking how well they reach the tumor, how the immune system reacts, and how effective the treatment is compared to standard drugs.
Since using real patient-derived materials can be difficult, the project will also explore advanced techniques to identify the key targetig biomarkers. This stategy could allow to design fully synthetic coatings, opening the door to safer, more personalized treatments for mesothelioma and other challenging diseases.