Selenium Containing Dendritic Scaffolds towards Precision Nanomedicines and Responsive Hydrogels

Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide, with 20 million cases diagnosed in 2022.

One of the main characteristics that almost all types of cancer share is the elevated levels of reactive oxygen species, responsible for promoting many aspects of tumor development and progression.

One of the main challenges of traditional chemotherapeutic treatments is the lack of drug selectivity for cancer cells, producing severe side effects.

Among all potential new therapies, the redox-modulating selenium (Se) organocompounds have gained substantial scientific attention due to their chemotherapeutic potential, which results from Se´s ability to selectively act as a prooxidant at high dosages in cancer cells.

This proposal intends to establish viable synthetic strategies for an intriguing platform of precision polymer therapeutics based on Se-dendrimers with unparalleled structural perfection and modularity, taking advantage of the EPR effect.

The Se element will be covalently embedded in high concentration, as mono- and diselenide moieties, in the dendritic interior, while the periphery can be modified based on targeted therapeutic applications.

The Se-containing dendrimers will serve as therapeutic prodrugs as well as templating scaffolds that rupture to generate a battery of novel selenol-based organocompounds.

Additionally, Se-dendrimers will be used to develop NIR-light-responsive hydrogels with "on-demand" and controlled anticancer drug release capacities.