Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a significant cause of mortality, as it is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. According to the WHO, CRC is the third most common cancer globally, accounting for about 10% of all cancer cases. Importantly, CRC recurrence is common following surgery and post-surgical treatments, and resistance to anti-cancer drugs increases treatment failure. Therefore, late CRC diagnosis remains a pivotal barrier for effective and personalized treatment. As a result, early diagnosis and the development of updated, innovative personalized therapies are crucial to overcoming future challenges of CRC treatment strategies.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) emerge as important players in cancer diagnosis and therapy. In CRC, the disease can be targeted via miRNAs, which manipulate mRNA expression—either by introducing miRNA mimics or by using antagomirs that inhibit specific miRNAs—offering new avenues for CRC treatment.

In this project, we aim to develop biochips that will allow us to identify patients who should receive targeted treatments. Then, nano-based treatments targeting these patients will be developed. In this approach, personalized CRC therapeutics will be designed through non-coding RNA based strategies combining advanced nanotechnology for both delivery and targeting. The development of innovative biochips, such as microfluidic point-of-care microchip devices, will support early diagnosis and guide appropriate treatment strategies. Biomarker-driven therapies play a pivotal role in CRC treatment. Hence, our goal is to develop non-invasive, sensitive, and specific microfluidic biochips that can enable early treatment and even support interventions after recurrence or drug resistance. Additionally, the proposed biochip for non-coding RNA detection will help distinguish between normal, adenoma, and carcinoma tissues, aiding in CRC diagnosis. Ultimately, specific miRNA signatures could be used to predict patient outcomes and responses to treatment, while biochips would allow tracking of specific non-coding RNA levels during cancer development and progression, potentially guiding personalized therapeutic decisions.