Radioactive Nanosource for Use in Brachytherapy

• Grant number: 18/18526-2
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): July 01, 2019
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Nuclear Engineering - Applications of Radioisotopes
• Principal Investigator: Maria Elisa Chuery Martins Rostelato
• Grantee: Carla Daruich de Souza
• Home Institution: Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN). Secretaria de Desenvolvimento Econômico (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/50332-0 - Scientific, technological and infrastructure qualification in radiopharmaceuticals, radiation and entrepreneurship for health purposes, AP.PDIP

Abstract

This work has as main objective to unite the advantages of the cancer treatment with brachytherapy with the small size of the nanoparticles to create a new modality of treatment, the nanobrachitherapy. This objective will be achieved through the study and development of radioactive gold nanoparticle by the activation of gold in the nuclear reactor and subsequent confection of the material.The following steps will be followed in this work:Study and calculations of neutron activation of the gold in the IEA-01 reactor of all hypotheses presented;Define the safety procedures based on the activation calculations and the isotopes involved;Activation in the nuclear reactor;Characterization of the material by DLS- Dynamic light scattering, MET- Transmission Electron Microscopy, XPS- Spectroscopy of X-ray and X-ray excited photoelectrons- Visible Ultraviolet Spectroscopy;Stability tests and coating studies. Cancer is a devastating disease for both the patient and his family members as well as the use of resources. Effective and less invasive treatments are extremely necessary. In this context, the present work fits perfectly because it presents a proposal that will unite the advantages of the localized treatment of brachytherapy with nano-sized sources. It is expected to obtain and characterize a gold-198 radioactive nanoparticle that can be used to treat cancer.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DE SOUZA, CARLA DARUICH; NOGUEIRA, BEATRIZ RIBEIRO; ROSTELATO, MARIA ELISA C. M. Review of the methodologies used in the synthesis gold nanoparticles by chemical reduction. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, v. 798, p. 714-740, AUG 25 2019. Web of Science Citations: 5.