Two researchers develop nanomedicines for liver cancer treatment in China
The experience is part of a worldwide project involving two European, one Chinese and one American university.
The researchers Patricia Ojer and Judit Huarte, from department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology of the University of Navarra, spent four months at the National Engineering Research Center For Biomaterials of the University of Sichuan, in China, in the framework of a worldwide project of exchange of staff researcher at training.
The project in which Ojer and Huarte have collaborated, called Heptag-Exchange "Targeted delivery for liver cancer treatment", has as goal the development of new nanomedicines for the treatment of liver cancer. Specifically, according to one of the doctoral students, her work has consisted of "the synthesis and characterization of new polymers that are subsequently used in the manufacture of nanoparticles loaded with anticancer drugs", very much in line with her line of research at the University of Navarra.
The Pamplona center participates as partner in this project, together with the University of Wolverhampton (UK), Sichuan University (China) and Florida International University (USA). Specialized groups are working on the synthesis of biomaterials, targeted drug delivery and distribution of active molecules, as well as the pharmacological assessment of new compounds.
Heptag-Exchange is funded by the European Union and has a duration of four years (January 2012 - December 2015).