Multidisciplinary team develops a nanotechnology focused on solving neural problems
An international team of researchers has developed an optical fiber that can determine some patterns to treat brain diseases such as tumors and degenerative pathologies such as Alzheimer's.
In charge of this technology is an international group made up of the Italian Institute of Technology in Lecce (IIT-CBN, Italy) and some scientists from the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) and the National Cancer Research Center (CNIO).
It should be noted that this research has been in the making since 2019 and at this time it has managed to bear tangible fruit. With a diameter that is less than that of a human hair, this nanostructure contains plasmonics that help light travel through brain structures and thus learn a little more about them.
The plasmonics generate a reaction with light and study brain cells in depth, being able to find patterns that visualize the diseases already mentioned for their diagnosis and timely treatment.
To define this project, the researcher and director of the project's neuroscientific application and expert in the study of epilepsy, Liset Menéndez de la Prida stated that:
“It is an optical fiber modified to send and receive light. The probe makes it possible to illuminate the molecules of brain tissue and amplify the light they reflect, generating spectral patterns based on the properties of each type of molecule”.
The fibers developed by this group of researchers, in addition to being innovative, are minimally invasive compared to other medical techniques where light is also used as a point of advance in the discovery and study of cells.
Manuel Valiente, CNIO researcher and coordinator of this application for the discovery and treatment of cancer, also added:
"This first work by Nanobright confirms that technically we can move on to the second stage to test these preparations in experimental cancer models, and in the future be able to improve the ability to diagnose and treat brain tumors."
It should be noted that the European Commission has financed this project with a sum of 3.5 million euros through FET (Future and Emerging Technologies). It should be noted that this is one of the most prestigious technology financing systems in the European Union.
A job that lasted two years
“It is the first probe completed within the consortium. During these years the technology has been achieved and the initial tests have been carried out. It is a success story”, commented researcher Meléndez, highlighting the duration of two years of work.
Many multidisciplinary scientists collaborated in this project, including nanotechnologists, tumor biologists, physicists and neuroscientists who are experts in neuronal disorders.
The Brain Metastasis Group at the CNIO is going to use this application to be able to discriminate brain tumors from metastatic ones. Similarly, being able to use light to permeabilize the blood-brain barrier in order to help the brain with access to antitumor drugs.