TITLE : Development of hybrid gold nanocapsules for combination therapy.
DISCIPLINE/SECTEURS APPLICATION : Nanochemistry / Nanoparticles / Polymers / Formulation / Nanomedicine / Theranostics
MOTS CLES : Nanoparticles assembly; Nanoprecipitation by solvent shift; Encapsulation; Radiotherapy; Chemotherapy
CONTEXT Radiotherapy is widely used to treat cancers, including some aggressive or non- operable cancers. Although the potentiating effect of X-rays by high-Z nanoparticles has been demonstrated, the understanding of this is largely limited to the use of individual particles. At the same time, there is a real challenge in therapeutic innovation to develop tools combining chemo- and radio- therapies. Thus, the Institute of Chemical Sciences of Rennes has patented a new kind of capsule, made of an inorganic shell of nanoparticles (gold, iron oxides or other inorganic nanoparticles) called Hybridosomes®. These capsules have an internal volume of up to 170 g/L (0.5M) of hydrophobic solute. Tested in pre-clinical trials for the treatment of glioblastoma by radiotherapy, Hybridosomes® (shell containing 10% gold by mass) greatly improved the survival of mice.
GOLD PROJECT (PCSI INSERM 2023-2025) Thanks to the calculation and simulation tools developed at the Metz-Thionville Regional Hospital and the CRAN (University of Lorraine), the GOLD project aims to evaluate the effect of the shell organization of gold nanoparticles, as well as their concentration and size, on dose deposition in order to optimize cancer treatments by radiotherapy. The in vitro and in vivo evaluation of the radiotherapeutic efficacy of the nanocapsules for the treatment of different human cancer models will validate the calculations. The chemotherapeutic effect of formulations encapsulating different active drug to combine chemo- and radio-therapies will also be evaluated in vitro and in vivo.
MISSIONS Holder of a PhD in Chemistry or a Chemical Engineer degree specialized in Formulation, the person recruited will be in charge of the Chemical Engineering part of the project. The aim of this position will be i) to synthesize and characterize hybrid nanocapsules with different compositions in gold and iron oxides and to formulate them with different hydrophobic drug and ii) to test their biodistribution (capsule and charge) and their activity in vitro and in vivo, in collaboration with our biologist colleagues (UAR Biosit Oncotrial). The results obtained will be used to validate the theoretical studies produced upstream and to optimize their parameterization.
CANDIDATE PROFIL The person recruited will have a strong knowledge in physicochemistry and nanochemistry (synthesis and assembly of nanoparticles) and in polymer science (synthesis, functionalization). She/he will master different analysis and characterization techniques such as electron microscopy (TEM, SEM), light scattering (DLS, NTA) and HPLC chromatography. The candidate will have a strong interest in working at the physics-chemistry-biology interface and biomedical applications. He/she may be trained in cell culture and animal experimentation techniques. The project involves 3 teams (2 in Rennes and 1 in Nancy/Metz): the ability to communicate simply and efficiently on a regular basis is essential.
JOB : Most of the work will be carried out on the Health campus of the University of Rennes. The duration of the contract is 15 months (IMN: 550 or 582 depending on the qualification).
CONTACT
Please send your application (covering letter + CV + letters of recommendation with contact details of 2 referees) to soizic.chevance@univ-rennes.fr before 2023/06/01.
