Creation of highly functional silk multi-sheets (SMS) constructed of silk in fusion with plasmonic metal clusters to deliver nano-prodrugs in localized cancer therapy

• Project/Area Number: 25K00058
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 28030:Nanomaterials-related
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: DAO THINGOCANH 長崎大学, 総合生産科学研究科(工学系), 准教授 (10793903)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 笠井 均 東北大学, 多元物質科学研究所, 教授 (30312680)
• Project Period (FY): 2025-04-01 – 2030-03-31
• Project Status: Granted (Fiscal Year 2025)
• Budget Amount: ¥18,720,000 (Direct Cost: ¥14,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥4,320,000); Fiscal Year 2029: ¥5,720,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,320,000); Fiscal Year 2028: ¥5,720,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,320,000); Fiscal Year 2027: ¥2,730,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥630,000); Fiscal Year 2026: ¥2,340,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥540,000); Fiscal Year 2025: ¥2,210,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥510,000)
• Keywords: silk protein / localized therapy / minimum side effects / on-demand drug release / cancer treatment

Outline of Research at the Start

The research proposal aims to be the first establishment of highly functional silk multi-sheets (SMS) constructed of silk in fusion with plasmonic metal clusters to deliver nano-prodrugs in localized cancer therapy. Silk protein is functionalized with plasmonic nanoparticles to enhance drug control release, and anticancer nano-prodrugs are fabricated by reprecipitation technique and loaded to modified silk sheets to maintain the biological dispersibility while boosting the drug activities.