Development of a Novel Ferroptosis Targeting Agent to Treat mTOR-driven Cancers

This fellowship has two goals. To develop a new drug to treat cancers that is unique to Wales, and to further support and train a promising young cancer researcher, accelerating their academic career development. The project and supervisory team provide an excellent training environment for the fellow to learn newly emerging techniques to design and produce a new drug to target and kill cancer. 

This project is a collaboration between chemists and biologists (in Swansea and Cardiff University) to make a new drug that exploits a vulnerability in cancer cells. This drug consists of an iron nanoparticle joined to a promising anti-cancer drug. Pioneering research in Swansea has previously shown that iron nanoparticles are successfully delivered to cancer cells. These iron particles cause cell stress called ‘ferroptosis’, and this is a newly discovered phenomenon that can kill cancer. Unique to this research, the iron particle is attached to small interfering molecules that are also delivered to the cancer cell. These interfering molecules are designed to kill cancer cells by inhibiting ferroptosis defence mechanisms, while normal cells will not be harmed. 

This fellowship will generate a new treatment with supporting experimental evidence to advance a potential new cancer therapy in Wales.