What is Glioblastoma Multiforme?
Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is the most common tumor in the central nervous system (CNS) and accounts for 65% of all CNS malignancies. GBM is one of the most deadly forms of cancer, with a median survival rate of just 12.6 months after diagnosis. Attributing to this severe prognosis is the tumor’s location in the brain or spinal cord, severely limiting the success of traditional chemotherapies, radiation therapies, and surgical removal.
What are Silk Nanoparticles?
Nanoparticles (NPs) are particles with dimensions from 1 nm to 100 nm. They can be made from a wide range of materials. For our project, we chose nanoparticles around 100 nm because they have been shown to enter leaky tumor vasculature while being unable to enter healthy tissue. Making nanoparticles from silk offers additional advantages due to increased biocompatibility.
What are antibodies and are you dual conjugating?
Monoclonal antibodies are proteins designed to target and bind to specific antigens on the surface of cells. Their specificity can be used to create tailored therapies that only act on diseased tissues{Malik, 2022 #123}. In our project we decided to conjugate antibodies onto the surface of our silk nanoparticles to create a targeted delivery system. Dual conjugation of two different antibodies increases the likelihood of binding of cancer cells and decreases the possibility of resistance. Dual conjugation also has the potential to decrease toxicity by reducing off-target affects.