Our Partner:
https://royalreelspokies.live/ - Royal Reels Australia. Казино Вавада открывает доступ к игровой платформе через официальный сайт Vavada. Быстрая регистрация в
Вавада казино, щедрые бонусы и регулярные турниры с призовым фондом!
04
September
ICN2 Seminar Hall, ICN2 Building, Campus UAB
IN-PERSON DEFENCE: Register HERE to attend!
PhD Student: Despoina Despotopoulou
Directors: Prof. Kostas Kostarelos, Group Leader and Dr. Neus Lozano, Senior Researcher at the Nanomedicine Lab at ICN2
Short Abstract: Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most lethal cancers, with high recurrence rates after surgery. There is an urgent need for new approaches that can effectively target residual tumor cells and modulate the immune environment at the tumor site. This thesis investigates the use of medical-grade graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets as a platform for localized immunotherapy. Owing to their high surface area, and biocompatibility, GO nanosheets present a promising vehicle for medical use.
The first part of the thesis focuses on combining GO nanosheets with resiquimod (R848), a TLR7/8 agonist known to stimulate immune responses. These GO:R848 complexes remained stable and retained the bioactivity of R848, leading to tumor growth inhibition in preclinical GBM models by modulating the tumor’s microenvironment. Building on this, a nanovaccine was developed by loading tumor cell lysates onto GO:R848 constructs, enabling the co-delivery of tumor antigens and immune-stimulating molecules. These systems demonstrated strong physicochemical stability and showed promise for anti-tumor immune response.
The thesis also investigates localized delivery strategies to maintain presence of GO nanosheets at the resection site after surgery. FDA-approved fibrin gels were tested as sealants to retain GO within the surgical cavity, and effectively prevented washout, offering a simple method for localized retention.
Finally, to improve tissue interaction, GO nanosheets were modified with surface coatings to improve their ability to diffuse and adhere within brain tissue. These engineered constructs, tested in brain-mimicking models, achieved improved distribution and retention, particularly when applied using sprayable techniques.
Overall, this thesis presents versatile strategies to improve localized immunotherapy for GBM using engineered GO nanosheet platforms, with the goal of enhancing post-surgical treatment outcomes.
