Research Projects

Cancer, a potentially fatal disease caused by carcinogens in our environment, is a growing global burden. Ovarian cancer is one of the most common types in India, and chemotherapy and surgery are the two most widely used treatments. However, these methods have drawbacks such as poor solubility, narrow therapeutic window, and intensive cytotoxicity to normal tissues. Nanoparticles, such as carbon dots (CDs), show unique properties due to their small size and high aspect ratio. To address these issues, an environmentally friendly process for nanoparticle synthesis will be used using natural amino acids lysine and glucose. This approach will reduce toxicity issues and increase biocompatibility of synthesized particles. The aptamer specific to the cancer antigen overexpressed in ovarian cancer, CA 125, will be used to target ovarian cancererous cells. The anti-cancer drug doxorubucin will be used to aid tumor killing, increasing the payload and decreasing side effects. The morphology, size, and surface properties of synthesized particles will be analyzed using various tools, including TEM, particle size analyzer, and Zeta potential. The aim is to develop a highly biocompatible multifunctional formulation based on carbon dots functionalized with ovarian cancer antigen CA 125 specific aptamer and anti-cancer drug doxorubucin. CDs allow for direct drug loading over their surface, facilitating easy drug release and label-free tracking. This targeted delivery system may reduce drug quantity and dose-related side effects. The cancer-specific aptamer over the carbon dot surface will facilitate site-specific targeting and easy translocation of carriers within cancer cells, leading to significant performance improvements.