[LAB Search] 'Development of Hafnium Nano Platform' Research Team Led by Professor Park Wooram at Sungkyunkwan University

Enhanced Effectiveness and Reduced Side Effects in Cancer Radiotherapy
Improved Radiation Sensitivity and Suppressed Resistance

Professor Park Woo-ram's research team at the Department of Convergence Life Science and Biotechnology, Sungkyunkwan University, has developed a dual-functional hafnium nano platform that enhances the effectiveness of cancer radiotherapy. This technology improves radiation sensitivity using hafnium nanoparticles while simultaneously suppressing radiation resistance.

Professor Park Woo-ram's research team. Provided by Sungkyunkwan University

According to Sungkyunkwan University on the 14th, the research results of Professor Park's team were published online on the 3rd in the international journal in the field of biomedical engineering, Advanced Healthcare Materials, under the title "Dual-Functional Hafnium Oxide Nanoplatform Combining High-Z Radiosensitization with Bcl-2 Gene Silencing for Enhanced Cancer Radiotherapy."

The research team developed a technology that maximizes the effect of radiation therapy while reducing side effects by utilizing the properties of hafnium nanoparticles. Hafnium nanoparticles are nanometer-sized particles composed of the element hafnium (Hf). Due to its high atomic number (72), it efficiently absorbs radiation energy when exposed to radiation, thereby enhancing radiation sensitivity. It also increases the generation of reactive oxygen species, damaging the DNA of cancer cells and suppressing radiation resistance.

Schematic diagram of the mechanism of action of a dual-functional hafnium nano platform that simultaneously implements radiation sensitization and gene silencing. Provided by Sungkyunkwan University

The surface of the hafnium nanoparticles in the nano platform is coated with a cationic polymer. This allows effective delivery of siRNA (short double-stranded RNA) that inhibits the Bcl-2 gene, which is crucial for cancer cell survival. The Bcl-2 gene is involved in DNA damage repair, and its overexpression in cancer cells is a primary cause of increased resistance to radiation therapy. siRNA can selectively block the expression of specific genes within cells.

The research team discovered that the hafnium nano platform maximizes therapeutic effects when used in conjunction with radiation therapy. It increases DNA damage in cancer cells while inhibiting DNA damage repair mechanisms. In animal experiments using a mouse colon cancer model, the experimental group showed approximately 80% tumor growth inhibition compared to the control group. Meanwhile, side effects on normal tissues and major organs in the experimental group were minimized.

The hafnium nano platform technology is expected to overcome the limitations of existing radiation therapy. Conventional radiation therapy works by exposing cells to radiation, which directly or indirectly affects essential cellular components such as DNA and cell membranes. Cells exposed to radiation mostly die during subsequent cell division, while some cells age and reach the end of their lifespan. However, a side effect is that both normal and cancerous tissues suffer damage from radiation.

Professor Park Woo-ram stated, "The dual-functional hafnium nano platform developed through this research overcomes the limitations of existing radiation therapy, enhancing the effectiveness of cancer radiotherapy while reducing side effects. It is a new technology that will bring innovation to the treatment of intractable cancers in the future."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.