BrainMap

Mrs. Ana Neacsu

Scientific researcher

Scientific researcher III - INSTITUTUL DE CHIMIE FIZICA - ILIE MURGULESCU

Researcher

Curriculum Vitae (10/04/2025)

Expertise & keywords

TARGETED MULTIFUNCTIONAL NANOEMULSIONS TO INTERRUPT METASTATIC PROGRESSION Call name: P 3 - SP 3.2 - Proiecte ERA.NET - COFUND
COFUND-ERANET EURONANOMED 3-METASTARG 2019 - 2022

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: INSTITUTUL DE CHIMIE FIZICA - ILIE MURGULESCU

Project partners: INSTITUTUL DE CHIMIE FIZICA - ILIE MURGULESCU (RO); Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, M.P. (ES); Aptus Biotech S.L. (ES); Internattional Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (PT); Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori (INT) (IT); Stanipharm (FR)

Affiliation: INSTITUTUL DE CHIMIE FIZICA - ILIE MURGULESCU (RO)

Project website: http://www.icf.ro/pr_2019/METASTARG/index.html

Abstract:

Metastases are the major cause of death in cancer patients with solid tumors. In Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), highly metastatic locally and in distal organs, the 5-year mean survival is lower than 5% in the metastatic setting. Occult micrometastases (OM) are, by definition, small clusters of metastatic cells, and can only be detected by highly invasive molecular methods, remaining largely untreated and eventually leading to the formation of metastases. Early detection of OM and treatment can interrupt progression to macroscopic metastasis, and ultimately improve survival.

METASTARG is an innovative solution relying on nanotechnology for the early detection and treatment of OM to cause a direct impact in the survival of the disease, quality of life, and health-economics. METASTARG Nanoemulsions are developed to identify OM by novel characteristic targets found in metastatic cells and Interrupt Metastasis Progression (NIMPs). This unique patient-driven approach has the potential to become a gold standard in the treatment and monitoring of NSCLC cancer.

We have developed sphingomyelin nanoemulsions (SN) that are easy to manufacture, stable, non-toxic, and can incorporate active ingredients and radionuclides. We have surface-decorated them with ligands to mediate a specific interaction with the biomarker Taste receptor type 1 member 3 (TAS1R3), identified by molecular analysis of metastatic cancer cells isolated from the blood of patients with NSCLC (Circulating Tumor Cells, CTCs). In this project, we address a multidisciplinary and translational research to i) optimize the technology to develop NIMPs with the ultimate aim of improving patient survival, ii) understand the biophysics of targeting metastasis to improve NIMPs interaction with OM, iii) generate the proof-of-concept for NIMPS activity in relevant in vitro and in vivo models representative of the micrometastatic situation in NSCLC, and iv) advance in the translation of NIMPs to a clinical setting.

FILE DESCRIPTION	DOCUMENT
List of research grants as project coordinator or partner team leader
Significant R&D projects for enterprises, as project manager
R&D activities in enterprises
Peer-review activity for international programs/projects