In Vivo Hybridization Chain Reaction: proof of principle Xenograft mouse study to demonstrate a nanotechnology based conditional cancer therapy, selectively killing mutant cells, while leaving healthy cells untouched.

• Applicant: Dr. Tobias Heinen
• Subject Area: General Genetics and Functional Genome Biology
• Term: from 2009 to 2012
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 158972173

In Vivo Hybridization Chain Reaction: triggered therapeutics for targeted destruction of cancer cellsHybridization Chain Reaction (HCR) is a new method in nucleic acid based nanotechnology. Two thermodynamically metastable small conditional RNAs (scRNAs) form a long double-stranded RNA polymer, only if a diagnostic RNA target is present. This method can be adapted to selectively kill cancer cells in vitro while leaving other cells untouched. The current aim is to develop a conditional therapy for the treatment of cancer, which recognizes and selectively destroys tumors. Therefore, scRNAs are to be tested in xenograft mouse models. State of the art nanoparticle RNA-delivery systems are used to deliver scRNAs to tumors in vivo.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: USA
• Host: Professor Dr. Niles A. Pierce