Advances in the DIAGBI project for early and non-invasive diagnosis of brain tumours

• The CiMUS of the USC and three partner companies of BIOGA promote this programme thanks to the use of nanoparticles for the characterisation of glioblastomas. The last meeting took place at CiMUS last Friday 14th July.

The aim of the project, funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation, is to develop a new technology that allows early diagnosis and non-invasive monitoring of the most aggressive brain tumours with the lowest life expectancy for patients, such as glioblastomas. Currently, diagnosis requires biopsies of tumour tissue by neurosurgery, an operation that requires a great deal of planning and is traumatic for patients. In other types of tumours, however, it has been possible to apply immuno-PET techniques for tumour characterisation using antibodies linked to Positron Emission Tomography (PET) radiotracers, which allow detection of the tumour without the need to remove the tissue. However, in brain tumours, the blood-brain barrier, a film that protects the brain from the entry of foreign substances into the body, has prevented the application of these non-invasive techniques. 

The DIAGBI project aims to overcome this barrier by using nanoparticles, capable of penetrating the barrier, to carry PET tracers along with the antibodies needed for molecular characterisation of the tumour. In this way, it would be possible to speed up diagnosis and follow-up times and avoid difficult and costly neurosurgical interventions. The ultimate goal is to improve and extend the quality of life of patients and to make more efficient use of health care resources.

Researchers attending at the DIAGBI meeting at CiMUS.