URI_Research_Magazine_Momentum_Fall_2015_Melissa-McCarthy

Wei Lu Associate Professor, Biomedical & Pharmaceut ical Sciences

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Made famous by the penny, but rarely associated by the public with cancer treatment, copper contains just the right properties. It conducts heat plus the liver and kidney can metabolize it. With some refining, the team developed hollow copper sulfide nanoparticles and sprang into action.

right properties. It conducts heat, plus the liver and kidney can metabolize it. With some refining, the team developed hollow copper sulfide nanoparticles and sprang into action. The team initiated further testing and brought onboard pharmacy professor Bingfang Yan, who specializes in studying drug metabolism and toxicology. Post-doctoral fellows, graduate students and undergraduate students also joined the effort. The group quickly expanded its charge to also look at combining its nanoparticles with immunoadjuvants that boost the immune system in the body to fight cancer cells. By combining Lu’s copper sulfide nanoparticles with a regime of immunoadjuvants, photothermal ablation therapy can be more effective. The laser treatments will attack the initial and obvious tumors while the boosted immune cells target smaller cancerous cells throughout the body.

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