Grant: Project Grant

Targeting therapies to hypoxic (low oxygen) tumour regions has been a challenge for decades. We will utilize a novel mRNA translation enhancer element to selectively express therapeutic mRNA. We will fuse therapeutic mRNAs to an enhancer sequence that will mediate their selective hypoxic expression. We will utilize several delivery strategies and nanoparticle recipes to efficiently deliver these mRNAs encapsulated in nanoparticles to hypoxic human tumours grafted onto mice. Three model cancer cell lines (glioblastoma, colorectal carcinoma and breast cancer) will be utilized in this study to show the potential to treat diverse tumour-forming cancers. Our research goals will allow for more effective and selective therapeutic targeting in cancer.