Grant: Alliance Grants

TTriple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is aggressive, with a low survival rate and a significant recurrence rate. As TNBC cells lack hormone receptors, it is difficult cancer to treat using conventional poly-chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The proposed international collaboration will establish first of its kind research to test the feasibility of a novel TNBC therapeutic strategy using quantum dots (QDs) to create pharmaceutical free intra-tumoral injectable nanoparticles for epigenetic cellular reprogramming of TNBC cells as a cancer therapy medicine. Combining the PI's expertise in laser QDs fabrication with our international collaborator's deep knowledge in cancer cell studies, we will develop chemical free ultra-small bare nanoparticles of gold, graphite and boron, fabricated with a femtosecond laser ablation system. We will then create a 3D cell microenvironment to study epigenetic cellular reprogramming and validate the feasibility of QDs for tumor reduction. This research will unravel the complexities of quantum dots in offering potential insights into TNBC biology and therapeutic interventions. By potentially overcoming drug resistance, impeding tumor growth, and preventing metastasis, quantum dots hold the promise of fundamentally altering the landscape of TNBC treatment. The experimental data collected will serve as preliminary evidence for a larger collaborative research project to test quantum dots epigenetic TMBC cellular reprogramming with a rodent model to validate the reduction in the tumor volume. This innovative methodology stands to redefine the very essence of cancer care, offering hope for patients grappling with the formidable challenges posed by TNBC, and strengthening Canada's leadership in state-of-the-art cancer treatment.