Liam Desmond
A new drugs co-delivery system for Glioblastoma Multiforme.
Email: l.desmond@ncl.ac.uk
Supervisors
Project description
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive cancer that begins in the brain. We will develop an alternative approach for therapeutic drugs delivery for GBM. Our approach will provide a way to design and manufacture of a therapeutic drugs systemic co-delivery system. It will enhance the efficiency of currently used drugs applied in GBM therapy. These drugs are not soluble.
I will use nanoscale Carbon Quantum Dots (CQDs). These will form a nano-capsule with the therapeutics drugs by Layer-by-Layer assembly (LbL) for targeted drug delivery imaging. The process of LbL ensures that a nano-coating layer will embed the anticancer drugs. It will then provide transport and controlled release of the drug once at the target site.
This PhD will involve many different stages to achieve a new therapeutic target for GBM cancer cells.
The first stages will be to understand how therapeutic delivery systems work. I will establish the therapeutic drugs needed for targeting the cancerous tumour cells. This will help to give a molecular map and therapeutic strategy of the disease.
Following this, I will develop a full understanding of how QDs and CQDs form. I will explore the properties of CQDs derived from lignocellulosic materials and biomass waste. These are desirable for use in therapeutic drug delivery. We will use these forms of synthetic routes due to their ‘green’ sustainability.
I will then determine the most efficient and high yielding way of obtaining CQDs. For example, this may be from biomass waste, should this be the method which generates CQDs in the easiest, cheapest and safest way.
Interests
Pub quizzes
Qualifications
- BSc Chemistry, Newcastle University
- MSc Drug Chemistry, Newcastle University