Tiny Bubbles, Big Hope: How Smart Nanomedicine Could Transform Liver Cancer Treatment
Sometimes, the hardest part of a cancer journey isn't just the physical toll it's the feeling of helplessness. As a scientist, I've seen firsthand how challenging it is to treat complex diseases like liver cancer, especially when therapies can harm healthy parts of the body. But what if we could send medicine on a mission, so smart it only goes where it's needed? That's the question that drives my work.
In the lab, as part of the NanoBio4Can Project, we're building something that could change everything: tiny, bubble-like carriers called liposomes. You can think of them as microscopic delivery trucks, but with a high-tech twist. We equip these little carriers with peptides, which act like a built-in GPS, guiding the liposomes straight to the cancer cells. As shown in the picture below, this targeted delivery helps the medicine reach the tumor more efficiently while sparing healthy tissues. This isn’t just about getting medicine to the right place; it's about making sure it gets there without taking a detour through healthy tissues. This kind of targeted delivery is a huge step forward in potentially reducing a patient’s side effects and improving treatment outcomes.
A targeting peptide steers a drug-filled liposome straight to the liver tumour, leaving healthy cells unharmed.
The process is like a tiny, high-stakes puzzle. We have to be incredibly precise, carefully designing the liposomes and their peptide "GPS" to be stable and effective. We tweak their size, what they're made of, and how they look on the outside to make sure they can navigate the body's highways and get inside the tumor where they can do their job. Our big dream is to create a smart system that puts the right drug in the right place, at the right time.
Being part of the NanoBio4Can Project is an incredible opportunity to help build a bridge between the worlds of nanotechnology, biology, and medicine. I feel so lucky to contribute to this bigger vision, and I believe it's important to share our journey with you all. So, I’ll be posting updates here and on social media, hoping to shine a light on the cutting-edge therapies that are being developed.
I'm truly excited to continue this work and am optimistic that these nano-sized solutions will one day lead to safer, more effective, and truly personalized liver cancer treatments for everyone who needs them.
Author: Kashif Maroof, PhD
NanoBio4Can MSCA Co-Fund Fellow
Sabancı University Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (SUNUM)