Project 6: Nanoparticle Imaging and Co-targeting of Cancer and Bone Stroma

Investigators:

Project 6 will use nanovectors to image and cotarget lethal prostate cancer and bone metastasis. This proposal builds on promising preliminary studies from our laboratory using bioluminescence to track normal prostate epithelial cells in transgenic mice and prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) antibody conjugated nanoparticles to track prostate tumors in live animals. In this application, we further propose to develop and apply cutting edge nanotechnology to image and target bone metastasis, a lethal cancer phenotype in prostate, breast, and lung cancer patients. The primary goal is to develop multifunctional reagents to image, target and monitor the response of prostate cancer cells in cell culture and animal models. We also propose to develop a single cell gap junction dye transfer assay to differentiate prostate cancer cells with varying degrees of malignancy.