Nanomedicine and nanoteranostica

Principal investigator: Dr. Marcelo Kogan
Associated researchers: Soledad Bollo, Felipe Oyarzun, Andronico Neira, Javier Morales

The advent of nanotechnology has radically changed the way of diagnosing and treating diseases. With new Nano-devices it is possible to carry out the detection of cancer in its early stages and also achieve delivery delivery selective antitumor agents specifically in malignant cells. The approach of nanotechnology for cancer and cardiovascular diseases has focused on three main aspects: early detection; Imaging for the administration of pharmacological agents for the diagnosis and treatment. Detection is possible through nanotechnology and characterization of nucleic acids can act as the detection in the plasma of biomarkers that predict or assess the risk of cancer. Ultra-sensitive detection methods for these biomarkers have been developed in our Center through the exploration of different physico-chemical properties of nanoparticles of gold, such as located amongst others surface plasmon resonance.

For diagnosis and treatment, a field important is it nanoteranostica, that is in the joint detection and treatment of different diseases. In relation to this in our heart develop metallic nanoparticles that enable to detect the presence of tumor cells in the body, and after treatment can be disposed of in such prevent the progression of cancer.