PROBING CHEMORESISTANCE TO Pt- AND Pd-DRUGS BY INS SPECTROSCOPY

The present experiment aims to apply INS spectroscopy to study anticancer drug binding to human serum albumin (HSA), the most abundant transport protein in human blood. This process is directly associated with intravenous drug transport and bioavailability at the target, as well as with resistance to metal-based antitumour agents. The latter is one of the major limiting factors in cancer treatment, since it severely undermines chemotherapy. A Pd-drug developed by the team will be tested, as well as the clinically used drug cisplatin.Coupled to previous data gathered by the applicants on a drug´s impact in human cancer cells and DNA (including experiments at ISIS and Diamond), the present study is expected to contribute to a better understanding of the pharmacokinetics of metal-based agents, with a view to improve their efficacy and overcome acquired resistance.