CUSAT Scientists make Breakthrough Invention in Cancer Treatment with Minimum Side-effects

KOCHI:
CUSAT scientists had developed a novel, convenient method for the synthesis of in situ exfoliated magnetic anionic clay that exhibits high magnetic hyperthermia properties which helps targeted and localized intervention in cancer treatment.

The research proposed by Dr. Sailaja G.S. (Principal Investigator), is funded by DST SERB – Early career research Grant. Ph.D student Anjana K is the project fellow who has executed the experiments. This compound is developed and biological evaluations were performed in CUSAT. The magnetic measurements were carried out in the lab of Dr. Manoj Raama Varma, Chief scientist- CSIR NIIST, who is the co-inventor and co-investigator of the project.

Magnetic hyperthermia is an advanced strategy for the treatment of cancer with minimum adverse effects to the normal tissues. Unless certain intercalation/ post-synthesis strategies are performed, the exfoliation of layers is very difficult for normal anionic clays due to the strong
electrostatic interaction between the layers. The bio-compatible material developed by CUSAT scientists accomplished exfoliation during the synthesis itself. The cell culture experiments proved its bio-compatible nature, proficiency to be up-taken by cancer cells and feasibility of magnetic targeting. This compound exhibits high magnetic hyperthermia potential similar to that of super paramagnetic iron oxide nano particles (SPIONs) even though it has a lower saturation magnetization value compared to SPIONs. Chemo-therapeutic drugs can be loaded in their interlayer space so that a acts as dual-functional therapy can be accomplished, which will further improve the therapeutic efficacy to a significantly higher level.