New Nanoparticles to Deliver Medicine to Invasive Brain Tumors
Fluorescent Indocarbocyanine PEGylated Lipid Nanoparticles for Understanding and Overcoming Barriers to Drug Delivery in Invasive Glioblastoma
This project explores how special nanoparticles can carry medicines past the brain's natural defenses to reach aggressive brain tumor cells that spread into surrounding tissue.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11136516 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Glioblastoma is a very aggressive brain tumor where cells often spread into healthy brain tissue, making them hard to treat and leading to the tumor coming back. Our bodies have a protective barrier around the brain that prevents most medicines from reaching these invasive tumor cells. This work focuses on developing tiny carriers, called nanoparticles, that have shown promise in getting past this barrier and delivering treatments directly to the tumor and its spreading cells. We want to understand exactly how these nanoparticles work and how to make them even better at reaching these hard-to-treat areas, with the goal of improving how we deliver life-saving drugs.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational research is focused on understanding drug delivery mechanisms for glioblastoma, and while not directly recruiting patients, it is relevant to adult patients with this aggressive brain cancer.
Not a fit: Patients with conditions other than glioblastoma would not directly benefit from this specific drug delivery approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more effective ways to deliver drugs for glioblastoma, potentially improving treatment outcomes and reducing tumor recurrence for patients.
How similar studies have performed: Previous findings indicate that these specific lipid nanoparticles can accumulate in glioblastoma cells and reach invasive areas, offering a unique opportunity to build upon this initial success.
Where this research is happening
Aurora, UNITED STATES
- University of Colorado Denver — Aurora, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Simberg, Dmitri — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Simberg, Dmitri
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.