6 months interneship : Hybrid biomaterials for the treatment of prostate cancer by combination therapy
Keywords: Polymer chemistry, nanoparticles, hydrogels, drug delivery
Project description
A growing interest in nanoparticle-hydrogel hybrids and their applications for asset delivery is witnessed. Hydrogels are typically used to protect and modulate the release of nanoparticles while nanoparticles are used as cargo for active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). Despite the expected therapeutic benefits of combination therapies, little research is aimed at obtaining hybrid drug delivery systems (HDDS) based on amphiphilic copolymers with inverse and complementary structures that ensure stable and homogeneous dispersion of nanoparticles within the hydrogel network, and increased retention of NPs within the gel. Another important area of development is to ensure that these HDDS are compatible with subcutaneous injection to obtain the release of the API into the systemic circulation from the hydrogel and to avoid the gastric tract.
This approach has been validated within our group as part of a thesis focused on breast cancer. This work demonstrated the relevance of degradable hybrid systems containing therapeutic antibodies delivered by the hydrogel while chemotherapeutic agents were loaded into the NPs (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Schematic representation of the combined hybrid drug delivery systems (HDDS) targeted in the project.
In the framework of this project, we wish to extend this approach to the treatment of prostate cancer in conjunction with the Cancer Research Institute of Montpellier (IRCM).
Your missions
As part of your internship, your missions will be to:
- chemically modify polyester/polysaccharide and to synthesize polyester-polysaccharide copolymers that are precursors of NPs and/or hydrogels
- prepare NPs and modify them to target prostate cancer cells, to characterize these NPs and to combine them with hydrogel to form HDDS.
- encapsulate two therapeutic agents (APIs), with complementary and synergistic mechanisms of action, within two distinct populations of NPs; investigate the release kinetics of these APIs.
Student profile
To do this, we are looking for a student with strong skills in organic chemistry/ polymer chemistry and physicochemical characterizations (NMR, FT-IR, SEC…). Skills or knowledge in polymeric hydrogels, polymeric NPs and/or drug delivery systems will be highly appreciated.
This internship will be an opportunity to acquire/strengthen knowledge in the field of macromolecular/polymer chemistry (ROP, click chemistry), the formulation of NPs and hydrogels, their chemical and physico-chemical characterizations (DLS, rheology), and galenics (encapsulation rates, release kinetics).
Training information
Duration: 6 months between January and July 2027
Host Institute: Institute of Biomolecules Max Mousseron (IBMM)
Research team: Polymers for Health and BioMaterials (PHBM)
https://ibmm.umontpellier.fr/en/polymers-for-health-and-biomaterials/
Location : Pôle Chimie Balard Recherche
1919 route de Mende
34293 Montpellier Cedex 5
France
Supervisors – Contact :
Benjamin Nottelet / Hélène Van Den Berghe
+33(0)4-48-79-20-39 / +33(0)4-48-79-20-41
How to apply?
If you are interested, please send your CV, a cover letter and your academic transcripts for the last 2 years (L3 and M1) to: