DNA sensors for cancer treatment
Kazan scientists create sensors to determine the effectiveness of anti-cancer drugs
Kristina Ivanova, KFU Press Service
A group of eight young scientists of Kazan Federal University under the leadership of Candidate of Chemical Sciences, senior lecturer of the Department of Analytical Chemistry of the Chemical Institute, graduate of KFU Anna Porfirieva won the competition of the Russian Science Foundation "Conducting research by scientific groups under the leadership of young scientists".
Within three years, according to the Presidential Program, 4 million rubles are provided annually for financing the CFU project "New polymer hybrid materials for the determination of drugs and biospecific interactions involving DNA".
According to Anna Porfirieva, work on similar studies has been going on for several years. The essence is to create DNA sensors based on the developed new hybrid materials that register the interactions of DNA and cytostatics – anti-cancer drugs. Sensors will allow you to monitor the effectiveness of anti-cancer drugs on cancer patients. The DNA sensors being developed will be simple devices that both doctors and patients themselves can use to diagnose the necessary parameters.
"Our project is connected with the development of personalized medicine. We are trying to develop simple devices that can be used right at the patient's bedside. This is necessary so that the patient himself can diagnose the parameter he needs at any time. In addition, it also facilitates laboratory practice for doctors," said Anna Porfirieva.
According to the scientist, the anti-cancer drugs under study interact with DNA. The sensors being developed are just needed to determine the effectiveness of this interaction. "In the course of chemotherapy, it is important to know how the patient's metabolism is going on and how much anti-cancer drug remains in the body after it, whether it helps, whether it is necessary to change the concentration. With the help of sensors, it will be possible to assess the course of treatment and, if necessary, correct it. Anti-cancer drugs are very toxic, and it is always necessary to control their amount, as well as to vary the dose of the drug in the human body. Perhaps a lower concentration of medicines that are very expensive at the moment will be enough for the patient," explained Anna Porfirieva.
According to the interlocutor, the funds allocated under the grant will be used to purchase imported reagents and anticancer drugs necessary for research. It is possible that small instruments for research will also be purchased. The grant provides for 12 publications on the progress of the project in leading scientific journals.
Anna Porfirieva believes that the project has a great future. Although quite a lot of scientists are engaged in this topic, such research is still very much in demand.
"It is quite difficult to bring them to industrial production. But in any case, these are fundamental studies that give impetus to new research. This knowledge does not disappear, but goes into articles, developments, patents," she stressed.
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10.07.2017