Grant: Operating Grant

Breast cancer affects 1 million women worldwide and is the leading cause of death among women due to cancer. Of these women, 20-30% of them will have the most deadly of breast cancers, where the breast cancer cells express the human epidermal growth factor receptor, HER2. These HER2-positive tumors can be treated with an antibody, trastuzumab, in combination with chemotherapeutic therapy; however, relapse is common, in part because the doses administered are limited by severe systemic side effects. We have synthesized a drug delivery system designed specifically to target tumour cells for greater efficacy and decreased systemic toxicity. The drug delivery system is comprised of an innovative polymer that self-assembles to tiny beads, called nanospheres, which are able to penetrate the leaky blood vessels that surround the tumor site. The spherical beads themselves are composed of a non-toxic, biodegradable polymer that will dissolve over time, after releasing its payload at the targeted, cancerous tissue. This system of localized delivery is particularly compelling for metastatic cancers where the cancerous cells have spread through the body and are not easily removed. These nanospheres will encapsulate the potent chemotherapeutic, docetaxel, which is used clinically to treat breast cancer. Using elegant chemistry, the nanospheres will have targeting molecules attached to their outer shell such that once they accumulate at the tumour site, they will selectively bind with and kill the tumour cells. Our team has the complementary expertise required for success in the complex race to overcome cancer. By combining novel bioengineering strategies with innovative targeting ligands and fundamental pharmacodynamics, the team will provide a superb environment for training of HQP while advancing knowledge to practical application. Ultimately, we aim to defeat cancer.