iMed.ULisboa PhD Student Diogo Magalhães e Silva, of the Medicinal Chemistry group, was granted with a la CaixaResearch Validade grant with the project titled “Improving the efficacy of cancer treatments while reducing their toxicity”.

This project aims to validate a new therapy targeting iron metabolism to reduce the side effects of colorectal cancer treatment. Researchers will exploit the uniqueness of iron metabolism, present in several types of cancer, including colorectal cancer, which, when altered, is considered a cancer marker. They will focus on finding molecules with highly selective anti-cancer potential that target only tumours.

If successful, this will open the door to new chemotherapy delivery systems that target a metabolic signature of tumour cells. This could reduce non-specific toxicity in healthy tissues and increase the life expectancy of cancer patients, as well as improving their quality of life.

The work will be developed at iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy of University of Lisbon. The team is composed by the project leader, Diogo Magalhães e Silva, and members Rui Moreira and Francisca Lopes (Medicinal Chemistry group), Vanda Marques and Cecilia Rodrigues (Cell Function and Therapeutic Targeting group) and Manuela Gaspar (Advanced Technologies for Drug Delivery group).

Find more information about the project here.