Description
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is one of the most common and deadly leukemias worldwide. A nanotechnology approach on AML will allow us to better diagnose and treat this disease and provide alternative epigenomic-based prognostics for patients. Project aims are: to identify and validate a new approach in early AML diagnosis and microRNA (miRs) downregulated in AML vs. myelodysplastic syndromes, compare the target miRs with -Macrophage colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor(FMS)-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) mutation status in the clinic, functionalize quantum dots and gold nanoparticles with various FLT3 inhibitors, assess the in vitro and in vivo effects of various nano-carriers functionalized with FLT3 inhibitors, training of young investigators/PhD students in state-of-the-art techniques in cancer research. The main role of University of Bergen is to train young researchers/students with the latest protocols and research techniques in molecular oncology and nanotechnology. The project will facilitate future long term science and research collaboration between partners.
Summary of project results
The project was needed for the development of a novel therapy for acute myeloid leukemia, a disease with very poor overall survival. The objective of this project was to assess the efficacy of gold nano particles conjugated with tyrosin kinase inhibitors in vitro. The impact is considerable, on the long run, as we might develop a new treatment approach for acute myeloid leukemia. The outcome was the development of a new therapeutic option for acute myeloid leukemia. The current project will be supported using various other projects, both national and international. The delivered outputs were the training of 2 young investigators, through personnel mobilities, from Romania to Norway, in which students, hired as technicians in this grant, received training, the publishing of numerous papers and of a final report in a recognized publishing house and the validation of gold nanoparticles as efficient carriers for anti-leukemia drugs. In collaboration with the Norwegian partners, development of patient derived xenograft models of acute myeloid leukemia were developed. The beneficiaries are represented by young researchers of our universities, PhD students, as well as medical students and the patients. The donor partnership was active in developing a new in vivo model of acute myeloid leukemia, a model that will continue to be developed in Romania.
Summary of bilateral results
The donor partner's technical and professional contribution was notable, as we developed a new mouse model of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), used in present for various toxicity and in vivo assays for acute myeloid leukemia chemotherapy. In this project 2 novel preclinical models of AML were generated. Hand-on training for young investigators was carried out. 2 mobilities of young PhD students from Romania to Norway were done as planned. The therapeutic effect of the newly-designed drugs was investigated by several methods including cell counting assay and was found to be superior when compared with the drug alone, data confirmed by state-of-the-art analyses of internalization, cell biology, genomics and proteomics. The obtained results are promising for validating tyrosine kinase inhibitors-gold nanocarriers as potential clinical agents for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia. The partnership was supported in both technical advice as well as in the organisation of a joint hematology meeting in Romania. Bilateral partnerships were very much improved between Romania and Norway, as result of the curent project. The partnership obtained further funding for the continuation of the project, in a new project.As a result of this project as well as other similar projects, international collaboration between the two countries was initiated and future projects, both educational and in research, will be carried out.The partnership was successful in both the publication of several joint papers, as well as in the publication of a joint book and the organisation of a joint meeting in hematology and nanotechnology in 2015.