Supervisor : Prof Chris Binns (cb12@le.ac.uk)

Details of Project

Nanoparticles are predicted to have a wide range of important medical applications in diagnosis and therapy. Examples include treatment of cancer by using magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia and sensitive early detection of tumours by using magnetic nanoparticles as contrast agents in MRI imaging.

In a recent breakthrough at Leicester, a new method of nanoparticle synthesis was developed which can produce nanoparticle suspensions with a very high performance in both the above applications. Although the synthesis method has been proved in principle there is some way to go before usable quantities of material can be tested in applications.

Magnetic nanoparticles attached to tumour cells by biological targeting and an RF magnetic field applied from outside the body, which is harmless to tissue generates sufficient heat at the tumour cell to force it to shut down.

The project will work on solving the technical problems that have to be overcome to bring this new technology to the point where it can reliably produce nanoparticle suspensions that can be tested.

The project involves a collaboration with the chemistry department who will conjugate the nanoparticles with targeting molecules so that they bond specifically to tumours. Also involved is the Leicester General Hospital who will carry out in vitro studies of the effectiveness of the nanoparticles in killing tumour cells.